Community safety officer at the Far South Coast Rural Fire Service Marty Webster said there has recently been an unseasonally large number of fires for this time of year.

“Not all have been deliberately lit, but a few are being investigated,” he said. 

These include one fire in Wandella State Forest outside Cobargo and two in Currowan State Forest near Batemans Bay, all of which have been burning for a fortnight and began within days of each other. 

Mr Webster said there appeared to be no logical explanation for the causes of these three fires and they were close to the edges of roads. 

The effects of deliberately-lit fires can be far reaching, Mr Webster said, as they can impact on timber resources, compromise environmental values and take up the RFS’s resources which could be used elsewhere. 

“[But] fortunately deliberately-lit fires are not common in this part of the world,” he said. 

If anyone has any information about the fires they are encouraged to contact Bega Police on 6492 9999 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.