Man allegedly sparked roadside fires driving car on rims in Victoria

A man will face court after he was seen allegedly driving his car on its rims, sparking more than a dozen small fires in Victoria's west.

Police were called about the car travelling eastbound on the Western Highway near Buangor about 6.15pm yesterday.

The car, which had the passenger side rear wheel rim exposed, was also spotted by police working traffic management points in the area due to the current bushfires.

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Witnesses alleged the wheel rim set sparks flying on the road, which allegedly led to four separate small fires in grass along the roadway.

"There were sparks flying everywhere," witness Kerry Whitehead told 9News.

"I started crying, it was just that bad, I thought, 'Oh, we're finished'."

The blazes were extinguished by fire authorities.

The driver of the green Mitsubishi Magna sedan allegedly continued driving erratically into Beaufort, at times reportedly on the wrong side of the road, before a near-miss with a pedestrian.

The car stopped in parkland when the driver allegedly tried to drive through the area, near Willoby Street and Beggs Street.

Police claim the driver ran from the dumped car and was pursued by members of the public who caught up to him and held him until police arrived on scene shortly after.

The 27-year-old Sebastopol man was arrested at the scene and has been charged with multiple offences.

He was bailed to appear before court on March 18.