mmg.com.au

Mooroopna residents are being urged to be vigilant after two fires started within 100m of each other in housing estate reserves at the weekend.

The first fire was allegedly lit about 7.30pm on Saturday in a reserve backing onto Lenne St houses. The fire burnt grass up to two back fences, but caused no further damage.

Residents helped control the fire before Country Fire Authority crews arrived and extinguished it.

Mooroopna brigade captain Lyle Sinclair said the situation could have been much worse if residents hadn’t spotted the fire.

He urged people to be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour and to report it to Crime Stoppers or 000 immediately.

‘‘The behaviour is the most concerning, that someone would deliberately light those fires,’’ he said.

Crews were called to a reserve between Lenne St and Howe St about 2.40pm yesterday after residents again raised the alarm.

Mooroopna police Leading Senior Constable Glenn Gibson said neighbours reported seeing two boys, described as aged between 12 and 15, running from both scenes.

The fires were allegedly lit in dry grass in what are now considered suspicious circumstances due to their proximity and time frame in which they started.

Anyone with information is encouraged to phone Shepparton Crime Investigation Unit on 58205800 or Crime Stoppers on 1800333000.