Former firefighter Kenton Leong admitted setting three brushfires in the Makapu'u area last Thursday and also admitted he has a problem with the illegal drug crystal methamphetamine, a police detective testified in court today.

HPD detective Thomas Santos testified in a preliminary hearing on three arson charges lodged against Leong on July 18.

District Judge Lono Lee ruled that there is probable cause to believe Leong committed the crimes and bound him over for trial in Circuit Court.

Leong was a firefighter for 17 years but was fired in March.

Santos testified this afternoon that Leong told him he lost his job because of "some issues regarding a urinalysis test."

Leong initially claimed he had taken a drug which increased the level of oxygen in the blood because he competes in triathlon events, Santos testified.

But Leong later "confirmed that he did have a crystal meth problem," the detective said.