Sunshine Sugar report alleged arson at sugarcane paddocks in Chatsworth and Harwood

A police investigation is underway after alleged “reckless arson activity” took place in targeted sugarcane paddocks over the weekend. Here’s what we know.

North Coast sugarcane farmers are alleging they have been hit by a spate of dangerous and targeted arson activities.

In a statement, Harwood Sugar Mill, which is part of Sunshine Sugar, said police and fire crews were called to the scenes of “reckless arson activity targeting” sugarcane crops across parts of the lower Clarence Valley last weekend.

“In the early hours of Saturday morning, at least half a dozen paddocks of sugarcane were deliberately set alight on properties in the Chatsworth and Harwood areas,” a spokeswoman from Sunshine Sugar said.

“Given the dry conditions, these uncontrolled fires, that were lit near homes and livestock could have had deadly ramifications.

“The culprits also caused chaos by opening the rear hatches of numerous fully loaded cane bins, each holding over 22 tonnes of cane billets.”

Vivien Miller, a representative of Sunshine Sugar at the Harwood Sugar Mill, said they were very disturbed by the blazes, particularly given their proximity to neighbouring homes.

Many of the farms affected by the fires were near neighbouring properties. Picture: Sunshine Sugar.

“It’s been very very dry and once a big two-year-old cane (crop) really gets going it doesn’t take much for that to turn into something out of control,” she said.

“So obviously a controlled cane fire is run under really stringent conditions with multiple water tanks and multiple people there — you have to pull together a whole crew and notify all neighbouring properties when you burn a paddock of cane.

“So for these people to just go around and randomly light one paddock and then drive up and light another one is just incredibly dangerous and we’re really lucky no one was hurt.”

Ms Miller supplied photographs of the damage two separate farms sustained.

A lower Clarence sugarcane field after the blaze.

She said sections of the crop were burnt and others needed to be driven over by tractors in a bid to stop the blaze spreading.

Many of the fires were able to be extinguished before police or firefighters arrived at the scene.

“We are not wanting to put a name or face to any of the farmers for fear of repercussions as these people are still among us,” Ms Miller added.

Vivien Miller. Picture: Sunshine Sugar.

In a statement, NSW police have confirmed they are investigating the cause of the sugarcane fires in the lower Clarence last weekend.

“About 11:45pm on Friday August 25, emergency services were called to three properties at Harwood, 10km west of Yamba, following reports of crop fires,” a police spokesman said.

“The three properties, located on Serpentine Channel South bank Rd, Berleys Ln and Beckmans Ln, had each reported fires in sugarcane fields.

“Upon the arrival of NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire & Rescue NSW firefighters, all fires had been extinguished by local residents.

“Investigators are treating the fires as suspicious.

“Police from Coffs/Clarence Police District attended the properties and canvassed the area; however, no persons of interest were located.”

Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.