Former RFS volunteer Daniel Dennis pleads guilty to lighting St Isidore fire in the Wagga Local Court

Ashmont man Daniel Dennis, 33, returned before Wagga Local Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to deliberately lighting a fire and making false reports of other fires.

Detectives attached to the NSW Police Force's State Crime Command charged Dennis last month.

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Shortly after 2.10am on December 11 last year, a passing NSW Ambulance vehicle observed a small grass fire on Kapooka Road at San Isidore and contacted emergency services.

Crews from the NSW Rural Fire Service arrived and put out the fire.

The cause of the blaze was deemed suspicious and referred to police for further investigation.

In January, Strike Force Tronto - made up of detectives from the State Crime Command's Financial Crime Squad Arson Unit, Riverina Police District and RFS fire investigators - launched Strike Force Madrer to investigate the San Isidore fire and a number of other suspicious fires in the Wagga area during December and January.

Following inquiries, detectives executed a search warrant and a digital evidence access order at a home on Bardia Street in Ashmont on February 9.

Dennis was arrested at the home.

He was taken to Wagga police station and charged with intentionally causing a fire and being reckless as to its spread and making a false call to an emergency service number.

Police documents tendered to the court said Dennis deliberately lit the grass fire at San Isidore and allowed it to spread to vegetation along the side of Kapooka Road, near the Sturt Highway intersection.

Police said he then attended the blaze as a volunteer firefighter to extinguish it.

Police also claim Dennis made more than 200 false calls to Triple Zero of a "vexatious nature".

Police said he requested emergency assistance for other fires in the area, which either did not exist or were contained prior to the arrival of emergency services.

Last month, Dennis was granted bail with a number of strict conditions, including an order that he must not contact Triple Zero except in the case of an emergency.

He must also not be found in possession of a lighter, matches or any other item capable of starting a fire while in a public place.

Dennis has also been ordered to surrender all his NSW Rural Fire Service uniforms, identification or items belonging to the RFS.

Magistrate Rebecca Hosking adjourned the matter to return before Wagga Local Court on April 24.

Investigations are continuing under Strike Force Madrer.

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