A man whose lit cigarette allegedly started a large bushfire that almost destroyed a house has also been charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly throwing a pie across his cell after being arrested.
Picton man Brandon Ray Hall, 23, has appeared in the Bunbury Magistrates Court, two days after Glen Iris residents were evacuated from their houses during the emergency-level fire which damaged one home.
Police said the fire started after Mr Hall dropped his cigarette butt in bushland across from Temple Road.
He tried to put it out, but it grew out of control. Mr Hall then ran to a nearby service station and reported the fire to emergency services.
Mr Hall has been charged with breach of duty of care — duty to a person in control of ignition source of a fire.
He has also been charged with disorderly behaviour in the police lock-up, after allegedly throwing his pie dinner across the cell.
He has been released on bail with conditions including a curfew and an order not to drink alcohol or use illicit drugs and is scheduled to face court again next month.
'There was no way of getting out'
The fire burnt through more than 160 hectares of scrub and damaged Ross Grasso's home on Bedwell Court in Glen Iris.
Mr Grasso said embers from the blaze flew into the air-conditioning, and within a matter of minutes ignited the insulation in the roof.
"I walked out the front, the smoke was pretty thick, I couldn't even see my letter box," he said.
"There was no way of getting out because we're in a cul-de-sac."
Mr Grasso said he was escorted out of his home by firefighters after waking up to find the blaze at his doorstep.
"I didn't know what to do, I panicked, I couldn't get out," he said.
"It's an awful feeling watching your house go up but luckily I got out of there."
