Four children aged under 11 allegedly sparked two separate scrub fires in Tauranga.
Firefighters were called to an area of bush behind the industrial buildings on Courtney Rd, Gate Pa on Sunday morning.
The fire spread to about 50sq m of grass and gorse but could have spread much further, Greerton station officer Steve Wright said.
"The consequences could have been devastating for victims like those business owners.
"If it spread to neighbouring buildings, it could have put people out of business for several months and put jobs on the line," he said.