A forensic psychiatrist says a Canberra man accused of lighting two fires during a total fire ban was suffering from a mania and psychotic symptoms at the time.
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He has pleaded not guilty.
The judge alone trial, before Justice Hilary Penfold, has heard the two main issues to be decided are whether Mason lit the fires, and, if so, whether he has a defence of mental impairment.
The court has heard the emergency services were called to the first fire after passers-by called triple-0.
Firefighters noticed a man alleged to be Mason hiding in the bushes.
Police allegedly found Mason in an Akubra hat and a dark jacket, with a cigarette lighter, a large hunting knife, and cannabis in his possession.
Eleven days later, during a total fire ban, Mason was alleged to have started a fire on the western side of Molonglo River.
The fire had allegedly spread to pine trees and into the canopy by the time firefighters and police arrived at the scene.
A badly burnt Mason was allegedly found underneath a nearby bridge in water and was taken to Canberra Hospital then a Sydney hospital for treatment.
He was allegedly found with a lighter and a multi-tool in his possession.
The court heard Mason, who has a long history of mental illness spanning 20 years, was sleeping rough at the time and had only been released from a psychiatric treatment facility two months prior to the first fire.
His barrister Ray Livingston said his client had no memory of either of the fires, but does not believe he lit them.
If found to have lit the fires, his defence of mental impairment will hinge on whether he knew what he was doing was wrong at the time.
The court on Tuesday heard from forensic psychiatrist Dr Stephen Allnutt, who examined Mason after his arrest.
Dr Allnutt told the court he believed Mason suffered from a chronic, recurrent mental illness, likely bipolar or schizoaffective disorder, with mood disturbances and episodes of depression, mania, and psychosis.
He said sufferers can lose touch with reality and become psychotic.
"I believe he was experiencing those symptoms [of mania and psychotic episodes] during that period of time," Dr Allnutt said.
