A Piha volunteer firefighter says he'll be able to sleep easy tonight following the arrest of a teen for two deliberately lit fires in the small community.
Police say the man, from the Piha community, faces three arson charges and one of burglary relating a large scrub fire and another one which gutted local fish and chip store Adey's Place early on Sunday.
They were among a spate of fires in the west Auckland community over the past nine days.
The third arson charge relates to a fire in Auckland City sometime in that time period.
The teen was arrested in Tauranga, around 240km from the scene of the fires, on Thursday morning and is expected to appear in the Tauranga District Court on Friday.
Piha volunteer firefighter Kubi Witten-Hannah says the arrests will be a relief for the community.
"A lot of people have been very frightened out there, especially since a building's been burnt - it could have been a house next."
He says the fear has been very real for residents, with Mr Witten-Hannah saying he knew one woman who'd slept in her car "worried about what might happen".
"From a firefighters point of view, we've been sleeping uneasy for a couple of weeks now just waiting for that call. Most of us have jobs and if you've been out all night and have to go to work the next day it's pretty tough.
"I'm going to get a good night's sleep tonight, and I think a lot of other people will be too.
"[The arrest is] the best news for a while," he told Newshub.
But Mr Witten-Hannah says it won't be good news for one family, with one of the community's own being accused of setting the fires.
"It will create some other stress and sadness as well. If he's a 19-year-old out there he's probably part of a family and will be tough for them too."
Waitakere Police area commander Inspector Scott Webb thanked the public for their help in what's been a "stressful time" for residents.
"We have received an overwhelming response from local residents and the wider public who have come forward with information."
He says police aren't looking for anyone else in relation to the fires, and didn't rule out more charges being laid against the teen.
Several families self-evacuated at the southern end of the popular west Auckland beach.
It sparked a large response from the fire service, with 17 crews - around 90 firefighters - and a helicopter used to fight them.
Newshub.
