A man has been charged with lighting 28 fires over eight months on the NSW South Coast.

On January 15, 2020, emergency services were called to Hilltop Avenue, Lake Heights, following reports a vacant block of land was on fire.

The blaze was extinguished but not before it partially destroyed a fence and came within metres of a nearby home.

About 2.30am today, detectives allegedly saw a man carrying items to the block in preparation to burn them.

The 53-year-old man was arrested and charged with 28 counts of intentionally starting a fire, and be reckless as to its spread.

Police will allege the man attended the block on 28 separate occasions between January and August 2020.

He was refused bail and will appear before Wollongong Local Court today.

Image: Getty