Police have charged a 42-year-old woman with 21 arsons in the Far North town of Kaitaia.
Bail for the woman would be opposed when she appeared in Kaitaia District Court today, Northland police said in a statement.
The charges related to the lighting of fires in the Kaitaia central business district between November 23, 2004 and May 19, this year.
The woman had been arrested on Friday night on unrelated matters, police said.
When she appeared in court on Saturday she faced one arson charge related to a fire at the Far North District Council building on February 24, 2005.
Senior Sergeant Gordon Gunn, officer in charge of Kaitaia Police, said 20 more charges had now been laid against the woman, who was due to appear in court this afternoon.
Kaitaia has been plagued by 23 arsons in the past 14 months, with businesses, community halls and a school among the targets.
The fires have had the town on edge, particularly the business community, and civilian patrols were carried out at night in an effort to deter the arsonist.
While the suspect fires were at unoccupied buildings, concern that homes could be targeted prompted an offer of $1000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
The Fire Service even called in Dr Ian Lambie, director of clinical psychology at Auckland University, to build a psychological profile to help catch the firebug.
Mr Gunn credited his staff for their diligence and effort during the six-month investigation into the fires, today's statement said.
He also thanked the Kaitaia community for their positive input and assistance.
- NZPA
Woman charged with lighting 21 fires
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