Community thanks volunteers as authorities call for help to solve spate of arsons in Cuballing

A big crowd gathered at the Cuballing Agricultural Hall on Tuesday for a community meeting held by the shire following a spate of deliberately lit fires that has the town on edge. Fronting the meeting was Rural Aid councillor Roger Hitchcock, acting inspector for the Great Southern North Sen. Sgt Ryan Devine, Narrogin acting Sen. Sgt Greg Yendle, Shire of Cuballing chief executive Stan Scott, deputy shire president Rob Harris and chief bushfire control officer Anthony Mort. “Around December 5 we got one of the first fires out on the Great Southern Highway,” Mr Mort said. “Followed by that was an incident down on the railway line past Watson Road — we thought at the time maybe it was a motorbike or kids, it wasn’t a major patch of bush but it was a weird one.” Volunteers had only just extinguished the blaze when another fire was discovered. “So now we’ve got two fires and after putting out the second fire, the first fire was started again and it burnt through 400 hectares of stubble,” Mr Mort said. “A couple of days later we’ve got another one, it’s very random — these fires just seem to keep coming, they’re weird and there’s no pattern.” Mr Mort said the fires were having an impact on many people in the community and that they were taking a toll on volunteers. “All I can say is that our brigades are here to protect you all as much as we can and I congratulate our vollies,” he said. “We’re doing our best to keep everything under control.” Sen. Sgt Yendle said Narrogin police were prepared to increase their presence in Cuballing through community engagement, patrols and traffic stops. “But I want to do it for you guys and at the request of you guys,” he said. “If that’s what you want, tell me, we’re here to help, let us know. “I can guarantee you that if you come to police with intelligence or information in regards to these fires, we will take it seriously.” Sen. Sgt Yendle said all of the recent Cuballing fires have been investigated by Narrogin Detectives with assistance from the arson squad. Cr Harris spoke about fire mitigation measures taken by the shire and the crowd responded to praise of Cuballing’s volunteers with a big round of applause. “I have absolute respect for the guys and girls who are being called out regularly and constantly to respond to these fires,” Mr Scott said. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the volunteers.” Anyone with information relating to these fires, or who has seen any suspicious persons or vehicles in the area of the fires, should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report the information online.