Series of Suspicious Blazes Ignite Hunter Valley Investigation
Police are urgently seeking public assistance as they investigate a series of five fires deemed suspicious that erupted within hours across the Hunter Valley on Sunday. Emergency services were dispatched to multiple locations in the Buchanan and Sawyers Gully areas, with the first alarm raised just after midday.
A Rapid Succession of Emergency Calls
The initial call came in at approximately 12:20 pm on Sunday, December 1, 2025, for a fire at the corner of Frame Drive and Gingers Lane in Sawyers Gully. Merely ten minutes later, at around 12:30 pm, reports flooded in concerning two separate grass fires on John Renshaw Drive in Buchanan.
Fire crews from the NSW Rural Fire Service successfully contained these initial blazes. However, their work was far from over. A third call-out sent firefighters racing to a grass verge on John Renshaw Drive at Black Hill. A fourth incident was also reported on a grass verge at Averys Lane in Buchanan.
Police Establish Multiple Crime Scenes
Investigators from the Hunter Valley Police District have taken charge of the inquiry, establishing crime scenes at all four locations to determine the exact origins of the fires. A spokesperson confirmed that, fortunately, there were no reports of injuries or damage to vehicles or property resulting from the incidents.
In a significant development in the case, police have publicly appealed for information regarding a specific vehicle. They are keen to speak with the owner of a white Mazda four-wheel-drive that was last seen in the nearby suburb of Kurri Kurri at about 3:30 pm on Sunday.
Appeal for Dash Cam and CCTV Footage
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the vehicle, or anyone who possesses CCTV or dash cam footage from the Sawyers Gully, Buchanan, and Kurri Kurri areas between 12 pm and 4 pm on Sunday, to come forward.
Police have encouraged members of the public to contact Hunter Valley police directly or to provide information anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
