CARTER COUNTY, Okla. ― Investigators have spent the past three months looking for the serial arsonists who set several destructive fires in southern Oklahoma. Now the Oklahoma State Fire Marshall's Office says other recent fires are also being called arson, and they think they know why these fires are being set. Daniel Armbruster has more.

Hundreds of acres have been charred, and even a few homes have been lost to dozens of fires officials say have been purposely set.

The latest fire occurred Thursday in Carter County near Gene Autry. Officials suspect arson, but are not ready to say why. There were also five fires set near the Dickson area on New Year’s Eve.

As for the other fires set in southern Carter County and northern Love County, officials say it appears to be a motive of thrill.

"I think some of the people that may start fires are just kind of a fire bug. They like to start the fire and see the excitement of the fire trucks, and I guess they get self gratification kind of in a twisted way from it," Dickson fire chief Troy Duke says.

We'll hear from Love County officials on what they're doing to help State Fire Marshals catch these serial arsonists coming up on First News at Ten.