EDMONTON -- A drunken "serial fire setter" who pleaded guilty to arson for two torching sprees in north Edmonton last spring told a psychiatrist he was "amused" by the blazes.

Christopher MacBurnie, 18, also explained his reasons for sparking the 15 separate fires on May 24 and May 28 as "alcohol, boredom, stress and anger," provincial court heard yesterday during his sentencing hearing.

"He enjoys setting fires," said Crown prosecutor Lucia Calisi, describing MacBurnie's actions as being somewhere in between vandalism and pyromania.

Calisi asked for a prison sentence in the range of four to six years, less 18 months for the nine months he has already served in pretrial custody following his arrest.

Court also heard that, according to a psychiatric assessment, MacBurnie admitted he had no feelings while setting the multiple fires other than wondering how fast the various objects would go up in flames.

Judge Michael Allen called MacBurnie a "serial fire setter" and said "somehow he gets pleasure when he is intoxicated by burning things."

Defence lawyer Marshall Gourlay noted MacBurnie was "grossly intoxicated" at the time of the arsons and suggested counselling for alcohol abuse would be helpful.

"Alcohol and Mr. MacBurnie are not compatible," he said.

However, Gourlay argued his client did not start the fires for any aggravating reasons like revenge, malice or profit and pointed out he gave a full confession and told the psychiatrist he was concerned about the blazes spreading.

"What we have here is a spree of committing small fires that were extinguished quickly with minimal damage," said Gourlay, asking for time served with probation.

MacBurnie, who was accompanied in court by family members and his girlfriend, said he was remorseful.

Allen is slated to sentence MacBurnie on March 3.

Court heard earlier all but one of the owners of the northside homes affected by the backyard blazes were strangers to MacBurnie and there was no real motive involved.

As firefighters battled the 3 a.m. fires on May 28, which included sheds, picnic tables, swings, barbecues and patio furniture near 120 Avenue and 41 Street, responding police kept noticing new blazes popping up nearby.

MacBurnie was arrested after being spotted wandering around the neighbourhood, and police say there was a strong odour of alcohol on his breath, his hands smelled like smoke and he had a burn mark on his T-shirt.

While in custody he admitted using matches and a lighter to start the fires and confessed to setting other fires on May 24 when he had also been drinking.

MacBurnie also told a detective he heard sirens from emergency vehicles after setting two fires on May 28 and climbed up an apartment building to "watch the police go around and around."

He then lit more fires.

The total amount of damage was just under $70,000.