Woman charged with arson over Greytown fires remanded in custody

A 47-year-old woman has been remanded in custody, accused of lighting the fire which caused extensive damage to several rural buildings near Greytown.

Maya Moore appeared in the Masterton District Court this morning charged with seven arson-related charges – two of intentionally damaging property by fire with danger to life, three of intentionally damaging property by fire and one each of arson and intentional damage to property.

Her interim name suppression application was declined, and she was remanded in custody until October 20 when she will appear again in court.

It comes after a farm building on Wards Line near Greytown was set alight in the early hours of Tuesday.

A local man on Wards Line said he woke in the early hours to the sound of banging, and thought someone was out shooting.

He opened his window to see the house north of his was on fire. He then opened the curtains and realised two homes, a barn and several outbuildings were also on fire.

"I thought 'it's Armageddon' . . . it was terrifying."

Maya Moore has been charged with lighting the fire. Inset / NZ Police

The man's wife said the incident was "horrendous".

Another neighbour, Susan Coleman, said one of the couples affected had lived on the street for 25 years and were in their late 70s.

Her husband woke in the night to noises, looked out the window and saw their neighbour's house on fire.

They were shocked to discover multiple other buildings on fire.

"It's just crazy," she said.

"It's not pleasant to sit there and watch someone's house go up in flames and there's nothing they can do about it."