The office of the Kansas Fire Marshal is asking for the public’s help in identifying the person or people responsible for numerous arsons throughout Ellis County.

Since March 6, there have been 20 fires that have been ruled incendiary or crimes of arson. The state fire marshal, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office and the Ellis County Rural Fire District are actively investigating these fires and are working several leads. These fires pose obvious safety concerns for residents, first responders and the surrounding property.

“We are asking for the public’s help in being vigilant in locating any suspicious person or persons and come forward with information,” State Fire Marshal Doug Jorgensen said in a news release today. “It’s vital the offender is apprehended before there is a major loss to property or someone is seriously injured.”

Anyone with information about these fires is asked to call the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 625-1040, fire marshal at (785) 296-8984 or Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) KS-CRIME.