Police charges after highway fires

Police have charged a man following multiple vegetation fires in Morayfield on Monday.

At about 6.45pm, police were called to the Bruce Highway near the Buchanan Rd off ramp after smoke from a nearby grassfire impacted traffic in three of the four southbound lanes.

Emergency services quickly put the blaze out, before two more fires ignited nearby. Both fires were also extinguished a short time later.

Following investigations, a 56-year-old Morayfield man was arrested at the scene.

He has been charged with one count of lighting an unauthorised fire and is due to face Caboolture Magistrates Court on October 12.

Moreton District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Liam Pham said with the start of bushfire season in the district, it’s a timely reminder of the dangers of lighting fires.

“We got lucky with the wind direction as it was blowing towards the highway,” he said.

“While it caused some traffic disruptions for several hours, it prevented the blaze from spreading further and endangering lives.”