SkyNews6 Helps Track Down Suspects In Rogers County Fires

Firefighters successfully put out three fires in Rogers County that sheriff's deputies say may have been set intentionally. SkyNews6 helped track down three men suspected of setting those fires.

The chopper was up capturing video of a large fire on Hughes Ranch, which is southwest of Bartlesville. But our pilot spotted more smoke plumes and flew over to check it out.

1/2/2012 Related Story: Seven Fire Departments Fight Grassfire Southwest Of Bartlesville

SkyNews6 pilot Will Kavanagh saw a white plume of smoke near an abandoned oil well, then saw another, and another. News On 6 photographer Michael Woods zoomed his camera in on the area and was surprised to see a man running away from the smoke.

The man was dressed in camouflage and carrying a gun, and SkyNews6 captured video of him running from the area. The man joined two others waiting in a white Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.

The men drove off through rugged terrain.  The video shows what appeared to be guns in the bed of the pickup.

Meanwhile, pilot Will Kavanagh says the fires were getting bigger.

The helicopter followed the truck and relayed its location to the Rogers County Sheriff's Office. Deputies pulled the truck over at U.S. Highway 169 and 407 road just south of Oologah.

"When they made contact with the people inside, they were informed that they had started the fire on one of the occupant's grandparents' land," said Sgt. Tandy Reeder with the Rogers County Sheriff's Office.

One suspect told deputies they burn off parts of his grandfather's land every year.

"They shouldn't have left it if they were going to start a fire," Reeder said.

The suspects said they were also duck and coyote hunting, and trying to tree a bobcat. Deputies did arrest the truck's driver. Twenty-year-old George Major was taken in to custody for transporting a loaded firearm and for driving with a suspended driver's license.

The Rogers County Sheriff's Office is still investigating the cause of the fires, but calls them suspicious.

The sheriff's office credits the bird's eye view from keeping the fires from burning out of control.

"If Channel 6 helicopter hadn't been overhead, there's no telling where it would be, how much acreage would be on fire," Reeder said.

Sergeant Reeder says Rogers County is not under a burn ban, but there is a Red Flag Fire Alert. One of the fire departments stayed on scene until about 4 p.m. Monday to make sure the fires were out.