The man accused of igniting one of the fatal Black Saturday fires was at a supermarket on the other side of a Gippsland town minutes before the fire was reported to triple zero, his lawyer says.
Defence lawyer David Sexton told the Melbourne Magistrates Court Brendan Sokaluk, 40, denied lighting the Churchill fire in Victoria's east on February 7 last year.
The fire's cause was also disputed, he said.
Mr Sexton said his client was at an IGA cash register at 1.16pm on the other side of town before the fires were first reported to triple zero at 1.31pm.
He said if the fire had started more than 16 minutes earlier the "Crown have a problem" because that left only a small period of time his client would have got to the point where the fire ignited, 12 minutes drive away.
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"We're dealing with a very small window of time in which Mr Sokaluk could've lit this fire," he said.
Prescutor says fire site 'not far away' from IGA
But prosecutor Ray Elston SC rejected the suggestion, saying it wasn't that far away.
He said some witnesses could not exactly say when they first saw smoke but "the last thing people would be doing on that day is jotting down a note when they saw smoke".
Mr Elston said there are two points where the fire is alleged to have ignited.
Mr Sexton said there were a number of suspects and reports of a serial arsonist in the lead-up to the fires.
He added some of the witnesses giving evidence at the pre-trial hearing had prior convictions for arson.
Sokaluk is facing 191 counts, including 10 of arson causing death.
Earlier, magistrate Simon Garnett lifted a suppression order banning publication of the accused's name.
Mr Garnett said he was not satisfied that naming the accused would increase his risk of suicide or risk to his physical safety, and did not believe it would affect his rights to a fair trial.
Sokaluk's lawyers had requested his name remain secret, arguing he was vulnerable in custody, at suicide risk and had twice been assaulted by inmates.
The hearing is continuing.
