Volunteer firey allegedly lit blaze
A volunteer firefighter who allegedly lit a blaze so his brigade could attend and put it out has appeared in court.
Jourdan Ashford, 20, is accused of calling triple-0 in August and September last year and telling operators about non-existent fires so that his brigade, Bedfordale Bushfire Brigade, could attend.
It is further alleged that on August 29 he lit a fire on Admiral Road in Bedfordale and reported it to authorities.
On that occasion, Mr Ashford again accompanied his brigade to the scene to put the fire out.
Arson squad detectives as part of Strike Force Vulcan, with the assistance of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services fire investigation unit, charged the Medina man in December with two counts of creating a false belief and one count of lighting a fire likely to injure.
Mr Ashford faced Armadale Magistrate's Court for the third time yesterday.
Mr Ashford, who now lives with a family member in NSW, indicated through his lawyer that he wanted the charges relating to the false triple-0 calls to go to trial.
He was not required to plead to the more serious charge of lighting a fire that was likely to injure.
Mr Ashford is the second member of the brigade to be accused of lighting fires that then allowed volunteers to attend as first responders.
Jayden Parker, 18, pleaded guilty in January to making seven false triple-0 calls and lighting two fires that were likely to injure or damage.
