The search is on for a suspect who Willacy County authorities said may have set two properties near Raymondville on fire on Monday.

Both of the properties are less than four miles away from each other, and the fires reportedly happened back-to-back.

Raymondville Fire Chief Lauro Oscar Gutierrez told Channel 5 News he has a message for the person or persons responsible for the fires.

“Stop, don't do it no more — you are going to hurt somebody,” Gutierrez said. “Maybe they are trying to have fun, but it's not funny. Or maybe they are doing it for revenge or have other issues."

Gutierrez said the first fire happened at around 7:30 p.m. at an abandoned home near I-69 and San Francisco Street.

“The interest of this fire is that there is no ignition source. There is no electricity, no gas but yet it was fully engulfed,” Gutierrez said. “It leads me to believe this fire was intentional."

While firefighters battled the first fire at the abandoned home, a hay bale fire was reported in a field off FM 1761 near Ramirez Road, Gutierrez said.

According to Gutierrez, the top of the hay bale was on fire, and firefighters had to climb up to try and put out the fire. Eventually, they had to spread hay bales apart to get to the source.

The field is used to grow grass for a hay bailing business owned by Ramiro Antonio Ramirez Jr. He said nine bales of hay were destroyed in the fire, a loss of $1,000. 

“This is our livelihood, this is what we use to make a living,” Ramirez said. “When something like this is deliberately done, it does hurt. Not that you would lose faith in people, but it's sad."

Ramirez said he hopes whoever is responsible is found soon.

“What you do in the dark always comes out in the light, but hopefully they will get caught and this will stop to eliminate and avoid something serious from happening,” Ramirez said.

Anyone with any information on the fires is urged to call the Willacy County Sheriff's Office at 956-689-5576.