Oklahoma wildfires: Six wildfires in Cleveland County suspicious, fire chief says

At least six of the southeast Cleveland County wildfires are suspicious in nature, Norman Fire Chief James Fullingim said.

“We have no suspect descriptions, no eyewitnesses,” Fullingim said. “But we have ... two fires occurring simultaneously within one mile of each other ... with no natural cause noticed.”

The state fire marshal's office was called to help investigate the cause of the fires that burned at least 100 structures and 7,900 acres in Cleveland County.

“At this time, and this is subject to change, it is suspicious,” Assistant State Fire Marshal JoAnne Sellars said.

Fullingim said Norman police officers and Cleveland County deputies will patrol rural east Norman and surrounding towns, the scene of many wildfires since Friday.

Anyone with information can call the fire marshal's office at (800) 522-8666 or call the Norman Police Department at 321-1444.

Payne County

Officials in Payne County are investigating a report of an arsonist who may have started a wildfire that burned Monday near Cushing.

Investigators are trying to find the driver of a red pickup seen near the spot where a wildfire started Monday afternoon, Capt. Kevin Woodward said.

“It is certainly a vehicle of interest,” Woodward said. “We're certainly investigating everything, and we're trying to follow leads.”

The driver was described as a white male in his late teens to early 20s, who was alone in a red compact pickup.