Fire threat widens

NOBLE Park residents in Dunblane Road are the city’s latest victims of a persistent firebug, with multiple deliberately-lit tree fires reported to police since January.
The news follows residents’ concerns in Springvale North over similar activities on trees in Phillip, Charles and Lee Avenues since early March.
The Springvale North residents have since been living in fear, watering trees at night-time and experiencing emotional stress.
Extra police patrols have been scheduled after Noble Park North Ward councillor Maria Sampey last week put forward a notice of motion to increase police presence in the affected areas.
However, Springvale police this week revealed that they had received multiple reports of deliberately lit tree fires along Dunblane Road, Noble Park, since January with the latest occurring last Friday, 17 March.
But Sergeant Geoff Straughen said until further investigations, police would not go as far as to link them to the Springvale North fires.