"Ultimate betrayal": A firefighter in Australia is accused of setting fires

A volunteer in the New South Wales Fire Department, who has experienced a deadly fire, has been charged with seven arson offenses while his friends are battling flames. "That one person's actions can tarnish the reputation and hard work of so many"

"Ultimate betrayal": A firefighter in Australia is accused of setting fires

An Australian fire service volunteer has been charged with intentional arson during the deadly wave of wildfires in the country. Maharashtra arrested the 19-year-old volunteer and is charged with seven arson offenses in an area south of Sydney in the state of New South Wales.

State firefighters described his actions as the "ultimate betrayal" of the fire crews already under enormous strain. Six people perished in fires, and more than 650 homes have been destroyed in the forest fires that have been flooding the east coast of Australia since September. However, the volunteer is not responsible for these events.

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service describes itself as the largest volunteer fire service in the world, and most of the service teams are staffed by skilled volunteers.

Police Chief Sean Fitzsimons said yesterday that over the past few weeks "we have seen firefighters working above and beyond difficult and dangerous conditions. Our people are rightly angry that one person's actions can tarnish the reputation and hard work of so many."

"Lewis" the koala, which has become the deadliest fire symbol in Australia, has died from his wounds

At least six people have perished since September. New South Wales fire (Photo: Reuters)

Fires at Old Bar, New South Wales, Australia, November 9, 2019 (Photo: Reuters)

Police have begun investigating a series of suspicious fires in the southern state of Baga Valley since last month. On Tuesday, police spotted a man sitting in his car near a river in the area. Shortly after, they saw smoke and a pile of grass and trees on fire, and he stopped. According to police, he set fire to the fire and left the area, only to return to him as part of his volunteer role.

More than 120 fires continue to burn across the state, and officials in the state have warned that the worst is likely to happen.