Man caught lighting park fire

POLICE yesterday charged a man for lighting a fire in a dry park in Lakes Creek, North Rockhampton.

A tip-off from residents alerted police to suspicious activity at Alan Bray Park shortly after 2am.

There they allegedly found a 36-year-old Lakes Creek man lighting a fire with some dry leaves.

Rockhampton city Inspector Darren Somerville said the man told officers he was lighting the fire to keep himself warm.

He was issued with a notice to appear in Rockhampton Magistrates Court next month on a charge of contravening a local fire ban.

Hundreds of people living in the suburb of Lakes Creek were evacuated from their homes over the weekend as a bushfire whipped across the Berserker Ranges.

Residents yesterday told The Morning Bulletin they were appalled to hear someone had been caught purposely lighting a fire.

Inspector Somerville said police were investigating other bushfires in the region.