Wellington fire fighters have dealt with at least a dozen suspicious fires since Saturday afternoon leading to multiple police investigations.
The first suspicious fire was reported at 4pm on Saturday when a rubbish truck was set alight in Adelaide Street in Petone, shortly followed by a fire at Wainuiomata Pioneer Church in Coast Road about 5.30pm.
Firefighters were then called to a fire at Tony's Tyre Service in Porirua about 6.30pm.
At 8.30pm firefighters were called to a blaze at Porirua's Gospel Church, and soon after to one at Wainuiomata's Gospel Chapel in the Hutt Valley.
About 12.30am, firefighters were then called to a blaze which engulfed a scout hall in the eastern Wellington suburb of Seatoun.
At 4.10am rubbish set alight at St Alban's Church at Pauatahanui sparked another call out and yesterday morning remnants of a fire at Karori Cemetery Chapel was found.
Constable Steve Watts said police would investigate whether the fires were linked and if religion was a motive.
Investigators had confirmed the fire at the scout hall in Seatoun was arson, with some vegetation placed up against the building and deliberately set alight, Mr Watts said.
The fire at Wainuiomata's Gospel Chapel started after some books were set alight, he said.
Yesterday evening another series of suspicious fires were reported to the Fire Service and police.
At 8.50pm a fire was reported at the Horouta Marae in Porirua, then about 9.30pm an empty house was set alight in Porirua and at 10pm fire crews responded to a fire at a portaloo near the Takapu Road Railway Station in Tawa.
The latest fire, at 3.40am today at an empty Tip Top building in Newtown, was also being treated as suspicious.
