Grass Fire in El Paso County Prompts Evacuations; Crews Monitoring for Hotspots

Crews from several El Paso County area fire departments responded to a grass fire in the eastern part of the county Tuesday afternoon.  The El Paso County Sheriff's Office says its dispatch office sent out nearly 130 reverse 911 calls to nearby residents, and a voluntary evacuation was put in place for residents bound by Shear, Edison, Fossinger, and Yoder Roads.

Responding crews included the Fountain Fire Department, Colorado Springs Fire Department, and Cimarron Hills Fire Department.  

The El Paso County Sheriff's Department says 30-40 households voluntarily evacuated and will be able to return home this evening.

Some outbuildings were destroyed, and one home damaged.  Three people were treated on scene for minor smoke inhalation.

Crews will continue to monitor for hotspots into the day Wednesday.