A man who burnt down his home so his ex-wife wouldn't get it in their divorce says the house was still legally his, and therefore his to destroy.

Police found Krste Kovacevski in the granny flat of his home in Coniston, a suburb of Wollongong, in the early hours of August 4 last year. He was with his dog, wearing a cardigan and was calmly watching his home go up in flames.

The fire caused the roof to cave in, with nearby houses evacuated. Credit:Illawarra Mercury

"He did not appear fazed that the house was burning down only metres away from him," reported a police officer, who tried to move him on.

"I'm just watching it," was Kovacevski's reply.