KEY POINTS:
Police have arrested a man on eight charges of arson in relation to a number of fires in the Wellington area.
The man, a 25-year-old male student, appeared in the Wellington District Court today and was remanded in custody to next appear in mid June.
Three fires occurred in the Happy Valley Road and Mornington area in quick succession, beginning at approximately 1.45pm. The last and largest of the fires started at about 2.15pm.
"The eight charges relate to the three fires that occurred yesterday and a further five fires that have previously occurred in the Lyall Bay, Happy Valley, Mornington and Brooklyn areas since the beginning of April this year," Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Borrell of Wellington police said.
"The fires have caused a great deal of concern for residents in those suburbs and extinguishing these scrub fires has been costly, not to mention the scar they have left on the landscape," Mr Borrell added.
The police have released a photograph of a white Nissan Sentra with the registration RD71 and ask anyone with information to contact the investigation hotline in Wellington: Tel (04) 496 3454.
