'Not a pyromaniac': Teen who set off Perth Hills bushfire avoids jail

Perth teen behind out-of-control New Year's Day bushfire avoids immediate jailPosted Fri 28 Aug 2026 at 3:12pmFri 28 Aug 2026 at 3:12pmLuke Grguric (left) has faced court after he allegedly threw a firecracker into dry grass on Temby Avenue in Kalamunda in the New Year. (ABC News: David Weber)In short:A 19-year-old who lit a homemade firecracker that caused a bushfire in the Perth Hills on New Year's Day has been given a suspended prison term of eight months.Many properties had to be evacuated, and 2,000 homes lost power, due to the blaze, the court was told. The court heard the teen was "mortified" by the incident.A teenager who lit a homemade firecracker in bushland in the Perth Hills on New Year's Day, triggering an out-of-control fire that saw hundreds of people told to leave their homes, has avoided a prison sentence.Luke Grguric, 19, threw the cracker, which he had made out of matches and cardboard, into the bush in Kalamunda shortly after watching the New Year's Eve fireworks on TV, the court heard. He proceeded to record the incident.But instead of exploding as he had thought it would, the device set off a fire that quickly spread. The bushfire reached emergency level in the Kalamunda- Maida Vale area before being downgraded. (Supplied)The court earlier heard Grguric panicked as the fire took hold, and unsuccessfully tried to put it out by stomping on it, before alerting neighbours and emergency services.Many properties in the bushfire-prone area had to be evacuated due to the fire, which required about 160 emergency personnel to tackle. About 25 hectares of native vegetation was destroyed and 2,000 homes also lost power.Firefighters were battling the blaze in the area. (Supplied: Kalamunda Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade)Grguric had pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to ensure a fire or ignition source would not have caused a fire that could not be controlled.In the District Court today he was given a suspended prison term of eight months.'Foolish' and 'reckless'Grguric's lawyer Alex Smith told the court his client was "not someone who's a pyromaniac" and that the fire was an isolated incident."It was foolish, it was reckless but it was accidental," he said.He told the court Grguric had been "experimenting with a firecracker" and had called emergency services himself.The court also heard that Grguric felt "mortified" when he was taken into custody because he did not know what was happening with the fire.Luke Grguric leaves court after being given a suspended prison term of eight months. (ABC News: David Weber)During sentencing, Judge Martin Flynn described the incident as a "serious example of a breach of duty", but said everything Grguric did after the fire started was appropriate.The 19-year-old did not speak to the media after leaving court.