Two lower North Island schools burned overnight, amid fears a copycat arsonist is on the loose.

A man charged over two suspicious fires in Wainuiomata has been charged with another eight counts of arson.

A man has been charged with starting two of the 12 suspicious fires in the Wellington region within the past 48 hours.

Firefighters have put out a blaze at a Rotorua timber merchants today.

A family home which was badly damaged by fire just two weeks ago was this morning completely destroyed by burglars.