Jail for serial Victorian firebug

A Melbourne woman who set fire to Salvation Army housing has been jailed but won't have to pay for the damage she caused, totalling more than $200,000.

Ashleigh Chapman, 21, will spend at least two years behind bars after she lit seven fires around Melbourne last year, including two at housing in Preston provided by the Salvation Army.

Chapman pretended the first fire, in March, had been caused by a faulty phone charger, the County Court of Victoria heard on Tuesday.

She ran, hysterical, to other residents and warned them about the blaze before the fire was doused and deemed non-suspicious. The Salvation Army then gave Chapman other accommodation.

Three days later, smoke was spotted in her new room and fire crews found a smouldered pillow up against a gas heater.

Chapman soon confessed to both fires, telling police she had turned the gas on and tried to blow the place up.

She had thought about hurting herself and others, the court heard.

Chapman was bailed a few months later and went to stay in Mont Albert housing linked to the Department of Human Services.

In September, she moved her gear out, ducking back to her room briefly before fleeing, the court heard.

The building was evacuated and firelighters were found around Chapman's badly burnt room.

The 21-year-old spent the next 24 hours on an arson spree, starting two small blazes in residential garages, another in scrub in Nunawading and one in a bin. None caused major damage.

Chapman has never said why she started the fires.

The court heard she had a traumatic childhood and had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.

Judge Susan Cohen on Tuesday ordered Chapman repay $19,500 to the operators of the Mont Albert housing which has not been able to reopen.

But Chapman, who cried throughout her sentence, wasn't ordered to compensate the Salvation Army, which has claimed damages of more than $220,000.

It was highly unlikely Chapman would be able to pay, leading her to bankruptcy and hindering rehabilitation, the court heard.

Civil action could still be taken.

Chapman, who pleaded guilty to seven counts of arson, was sentenced to three years in prison with a minimum two before parole.

She has already served more than 300 days.

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