A teenage Rural Fire Service volunteer accused of lighting several bushfires in the Hunter - before allegedly helping fight some of them - has been granted bail.
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Jack Hardridge, 18, allegedly deliberately lit fires in grassland at Weston, Pelaw Main, Bellbird, Greta, Aberglasslyn, Melville, and Cessnock in July and August this year.
One of the fires burnt 16,000 square metres, and another 11,000 square metres.
Police allege he attended some of the blazes as a Rural Fire Service responder.
Mr Hardridge was charged late last month with 13 counts of intentionally causing fire and being reckless as to its spread, and two charges of destroying/damaging property.
He was refused bail when he first appeared before a magistrate, but was conditionally released after a bail review in Maitland Local Court on Wednesday.
Magistrate John Chicken ordered Mr Hardridge not to leave his Aberglasslyn home unless he was in the company of his father or a legal representative.
A surety of $20,000 has also been put up, according to court records.
Detectives from the State Crime Command's arson unit arrested Mr Hardridge as part of an investigation by Strike Force Glenarvon.
Detective Acting Superintendent Richard Puffett told a Sydney press conference after the arrest the 18-year-old was detained after a "lengthy and tenacious" investigation.
He said the alleged behaviour was "of the highest scale and of a serious nature".
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Acting Superintendent Puffett said one of the fires related to "a vehicle and a whole bunch of tyres", and flagged that crimes of this nature would be treated extremely seriously as summer approached.
Mr Hardridge will face Cessnock Local Court on September 13.
