A Wangaratta man has been warned not to light any dangerous fires this fire season as he awaits a court hearing over three incidents between December and March.
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Shannon Lawrey, 39, told the Wangaratta Magistrates Court he would plead guilty to three charges of lighting fires in the open air in his backyard at Rattray Avenue.
He first drew the attention of police and the CFA on a 28-degree day on December 18 when a member of the public called triple zero.
Firefighters put out the blaze before damaged was caused, but found the backyard was dangerously close to neighbouring properties.
Lawrey was uncooperative with police and reoffended by lightning a similar fire, three by two metres in size, on January 11 that was also extinguished by the CFA.
Police discovered rubbish and household items burnt in the backyard again on March 28.
the 2015/16 fire season began on Monday.
Solicitor Nancy Battiato said Lawrey suffers from depression and needed to gain Legal Aid funding before the guilty plea could be heard.
Magistrate Stella Suthridge said he was facing up to 12 months in jail, but she would probably sentence him to a Community Corrections Order.
“I’m a bit concerned by these matters,” she said.
“Has he stopped lighting fires?”
“I hope so, your honour,” Ms Battiato said.
The case was adjourned until November, with Lawrey to remain on bail.
“”Don’t light any fires while you’re on bail or else you’ll breach your bail and end up in custody,” Ms Stuthridge said.
