Volunteer firefighter charged with deliberately lighting fires in far-north NSW

A volunteer firefighter has been charged with intentionally lighting fires after a series of blazes on the NSW far north coast.

Between October 7 and November 4, more than a dozen grass fires were lit in the Burringbar and Mooball area.

One of the fires, believed to be deliberately lit, was near a property on Yarrabee Terrace at Stokers Siding, about 13km south-east of Murwillumbah.

It was reported to the NSW Rural Fire Service on the evening of November 3 and extinguished the same night.

Yesterday, an 18-year-old was stopped in a car at Burringbar just outside Murwillumbah and arrested.

NSW Police then searched a house in the same suburb where officers seized a replica pistol.

The man was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station and charged with nine counts of intentionally causing a fire and being reckless to its spread and one count of possessing an unauthorised pistol.

He was refused bail to appear at Tweed Heads Local Court today.

Police will allege in court the man lit several blazes in the area before returning to respond to the fire as part of his duties as a volunteer.

Investigations are ongoing.