A spate of car fires in a regional New South Wales city has ignited questions about whether mental health intervention is the key to curbing the worrying trend.

Key points: A number of people are believed to be involved in the car fires and some charges have been laid

A number of people are believed to be involved in the car fires and some charges have been laid The frequent call-outs are frustrating firefighters who say vital resources are being tied up

The frequent call-outs are frustrating firefighters who say vital resources are being tied up A psychology professor says people who set fires typically have a history of trauma

There have been up to 50 vehicle arsons so far this year in Orange, a 633 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Resident Phillip Cole has had not one, but two of his cars burnt out in the central-west city.

Most recently, his station wagon was targeted in an early morning arson attack and he feared the flames would spread to a nearby gas main and destroy his home.

After calling triple-0, Mr Cole said it took fire crews at least 15 minutes to extinguish the blaze of fuel, metal and melting plastic.

"I was amazed at how violently the car burned."

He said the incident was extremely bold as his car was burned in the driveway while he was at home.

Mr Cole said he was extremely concerned for neighbours, many of whom parked their cars under carports adjoined to houses.

"That makes me worried that if [the perpetrators] were stupid enough to actually set fire to a car there, they'll end up incinerating a house and maybe the occupants with it."

One of Mr Cole's vehicles that has been set on fire in Orange. ( ABC Central West: Luke Wong )

Why set a car on fire?

Dr Katarina Fritzon, an associate professor of psychology at Bond University, researched more than 200 arson cases in the UK.

She said arson was often a reflection of the perpetrator's environment.

"The ones who are setting fires typically have a much more significant history of trauma and other related disturbances," she said.

"They often have quite lengthy histories of behavioural problems from quite an early age that has resulted in fire-setting."

She suggested more could be done in the early intervention of people who showed an interest in lighting fires.

"Many of the people who set fires do have a significant history of mental illness and potentially could've been helped at any earlier point before their fire-setting got to that stage."

Emergency services say attending to frequent car fires diverts resources away from more life-threatening incidents. ( ABC Central West: Luke Wong )

Dr Fritzon said many car fires were in the anti-social category where burning was the secondary act used to cover up evidence of another crime such as theft.

Fire obsession was also a common reason for arsonists.

"It's quite dramatic, obviously the fuel that's in the car might cause an explosion," she said.

"They're actually motivated by the properties of the fire itself and size of the fire they can produce."

Troubling rise in vehicle arson

Detective Inspector Bruce Grassick from the Central West Police District said a number of parties were believed to be involved and some charges had been laid.

He said notoriety through media exposure could be an enticing factor for offenders.

"We've seen one matter that targeted a government agency, we've seen insurance fraud," he said.

"Some are stolen for transport or purely out of boredom."

Superintendent Brett Jackson from Fire and Rescue NSW Central West area said the frequent call-outs to attend car fires were using vital resources and crews.

He said up to 20 firefighters could be sent out during the early hours of the morning when incidents often occurred.

"When somebody is deliberately, what it appears like, lighting fires for no real reason it is getting very frustrating for them," he said.