A man has been charged after allegedly lighting fires around the Mareeba region.
On Tuesday afternoon, emergency services were alerted to around 13 bushfires burning around Mareeba, Biboohra and Chewko outer suburbs.
An emergency declaration with more than 100 firefighters called to the area.
The fires in some places burned in close proximity to properties, causing several to be evacuated.
Acting Inspector Kyell Palmer says it has impacted a lot of people.
“The damage you can cause, not just to assets and significant infrastructure, but to the people as well,” he says.
Due to the number of fires and the distance between them, fire investigators determined the cause to be suspicious.
Investigations led police to issue a search warrant at a property on Narcotic Creek Road at Chewko today, where a 37-year-old local man was taken into custody.
He has been charged with 13 counts of setting fire to vegetation and is expected to appear before Mareeba Magistrates Court today.
Police have thanked the community for their assistance and co-operation, and urge anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage in relation to the incident to contact police.
