In the fourth in a series of cold cases that will be explored in South-West's Most Wanted, police return to the trail of an arsonist who deliberately lit a fire which burned through the Framlingham Forest on January 10, 2007.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The case still sends a chill down the spine of investigators and firefighters for the flagrant disregard of its potentially deadly consequences.
Not satisified with his destructive handiwork, investigators also believe the same offender was responsible lighting a grass fire in Bryan O'Lynns Road, Purnim on the same day.
Detectives have no doubt the lighting of the fire was well planned and was designed to cause total destruction of the Framlingham Forest.
It was lit on a day of total fire ban and the weather conditions on the day were in-excess of 35 degrees with a strong northerly wind blowing.
The fire was also selectively lit on a section of road that covers the most northern point of the Framlingham forest.
On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the Framlingham Forest police retrace the events in the hope it will trigger readers' memories and lead to the arrest of the callous arsonist.
The potentially deadly fire was first reported to the CFA incident control centre at 2.06pm.
The controllers were told the fire was located north of the Framlingham Forest and heading south into the wooded forest.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007, was an firefighter's nightmare, a total fire day had been called in response to the extremely hot/dry conditions and strong winds blowing from the north.
The origin of the fire was located beside Framlingham Road, approximately one kilometre east of the Hopkins Highway.
CFA units immediately responded and police units set up a cordon of road blocks.
Fire quickly took hold of the northern edge of the forest and within a short time, it had become a wild fire penetrating deep into the forest, crossing the Hopkins River and burning south on a wide front towards Warrumyea Road.
Fortuitously, the fire burned east of Framlingham Aboriginal settlement and slightly west of Framlingham townships, heading southerly fanned by strong north-west winds.
Fire eventually burned out more than 50 per cent of the forest, but fortunately no house were destroyed.
Police said the fire caused widespread damage to farm fencing and burned as far south as Fary's Road.
Spot fires caused by flying embers were reported as far south as Panmure and across the Princes Highway.
All the spot fires were quickly brought under control and only caused minimal damage.
Detective Senior Constable Martin Neagle said detectives attended origin of fire on Framlingham Road about 3.20pm that day and quickly established that fire had been deliberately lit.
He said the seat of the fire was located about two metres from the southern edge of Framlingham Road, approximately one kilometre east of the Hopkins Highway.
A 100 metre trail of grass appeared to have been deliberately set alight.
Fire quickly spread in a "V" pattern across the grass and into a wood pile on the edge of the forest. The pile was quickly enveloped in flames and the fire continued into the forest.
Detecive Senior Constable Neagle said the source of the ignition appeared "similar to an accelerant or lighted wick used over a distance of approximately 100 metres.
Notes from the investigation reveal the "origin of the fire appears to be well planned and lit to cause maximum destruction of Framlingham Forest".
Detectives said the seat of the fire was about seven kilometres west of the Framlingham fire and appeared to be a secondary fire deliberately lit shortly after the Framlingham blaze.
If you have any information whatsoever in relation to this deliberately lit fire please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on-line www.crimestoppers.com.au cash rewards of up to $1,000 may be paid, you can remain anonymous.
