Police allege volunteer firefighter ‘deliberately’ lit grassland blaze which burned four hectares of land

A volunteer firefighter is accused of deliberately starting a fire that tore through four hectares of land

A volunteer firefighter will face court accused of deliberately lighting a fire that burned through more than four hectares of land before it was extinguished.

Officers from New England Police District established Strike Force Nobility in September 2021 to investigate suspicious fires across the Uralla Shire local government area.

The man, 47, was arrested on East St in Uralla about 8am on Wednesday following extensive investigations from police and NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) investigators

A firefighter has been charged with deliberately lighting a fire. Picture: Supplied

Police will allege the volunteer firefighter deliberately lit a fire that burnt through more than four hectares of grassland – including a paddock – near Uralla on September 16, 2022, before it was brought under control by firefighters.

The man is charged with intentionally causing a fire and being reckless as to its spread.

He will front due to appear at Armidale Local Court on June 5.

Investigations are continuing.