Police look for men in Snapchat bushfire video

A social media video showing three men laughing near apparent bushfire flames has been handed to detectives as they investigate the cause of a huge bushfire in Sydney.

Police are looking for three men after the Sydney bushfire.

Police are looking for three men after the Sydney bushfire. Source: Snapchat

A social media video showing three men laughing near flames has been referred to police as they investigate the cause of a massive bushfire in Sydney's southwest.

Revelations of the footage, which appeared on Snapchat and was forwarded to Bankstown officers on Tuesday morning, came as the NSW Rural Fire Service finally declared the blaze was under control.

It shows the trio dressed in black, one wearing a hat and another a bandana.

"Police would like to speak to the people in the video to assist with their inquiries," a spokesman told AAP.

An image grab from the footage that was forwarded to Bankstown officers.
An image grab from the footage that was forwarded to Bankstown officers. Source: Snapchat/Channel 7


There is no suggestion that the men in the video are responsible for starting the fire.

Cooler conditions on Tuesday helped firefighters establish containment lines around the huge blaze and it was considered under control by 7pm.



"Firefighters will remain on scene overnight patrolling and consolidating containment lines around the fire," the RFS advice stated.

The fire, which started on Saturday and blackened nearly 4000 hectares, is burning within the Holsworthy range and around Barden Ridge.

Tuesday's favourable weather conditions were significantly cooler than the weekend when the fire was also fanned by strong winds.

RFS spokesman Matt Sun told AAP there were southerly breezes about 20km/h with humidity hovering around 60 per cent.

More than 200 firefighters were involved in the operation on Tuesday and the back-burning generated a significant amount of smoke that's drifting north across areas including the city and western Sydney.

Some roads were reopened including those to Pleasure Point and Voyager Point for residents with photo identification. Locals were urged to stay up to date by checking the RFS website.

Burnt bushland along Heathcote Road in Sydney on April 17.
Burnt bushland along Heathcote Road in Sydney on April 17. Source: AAP


More than 500 properties were saved, it was revealed on Monday night.

Two homes were damaged and one cubby house destroyed with RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons stating it was "extraordinary" there'd been no major losses.

NSW Police are treating the blaze - which began at Casula - as suspicious and have set up Strikeforce Carpi to investigate.

If the fire was deliberately lit those responsible face up to 25 years behind bars.


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