While firefighters were putting out hot spots after a blaze burned down a house and several acres east of Colorado Springs, Falcon Fire deputy chief Jeff Petersma was asked if he expected fire season to start this early.

He didn’t hesitate to answer.

“In Colorado, it’s year-round,” he said.

Typically, the state’s fire season is from May through September. But fires in Colorado have been igniting regularly for the past few weeks.

This past weekend, several fires erupted across El Paso County, burning grass, destroying structures and forcing mandatory evacuations, fire officials have said.

The fires come at a time when the spring weather features warm temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds.

The continued dry and warmer-than-usual weather was enough for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to issue Stage 1 fire restrictions for  unincorporated parts of the county. Announced Sunday, the restrictions include:

• Open burning, excepting fires and campfires within permanently constructed fire grates in developed campgrounds and picnic grounds; charcoal grills and wood burning stoves at private residences in areas cleared of all flammable materials.
• The sale or use of fireworks.
• Outdoor smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

The fire restrictions remain in effect until further notice.

The city of Fountain also on Monday issued Stage 1 fire restrictions, also in effect until further notice.

Restrictions in Fountain include the same as those listed for unincorporated El Paso County. Within Fountain city limits, additional restrictions include:

• Outdoor blasting, welding and torches, except with a permit.
• Use of model rockets.
• Public prescribed burning or burn permits.
• Outdoor cooking on private property, unless the area is smaller than three feet in diameter and fewer than two feet high, and is kindled for purposes of cooking food using only clean, dry, untreated wood or charcoal contained by fireplaces, fire pits, barbecues or other city-approved systems.
• Outdoor fires in private recreational fire pits, except if the fire is contained within liquid-fueled or gas-fueled stoves, indoor fireplaces and wood burning stoves, or in permanently constructed fire grates, charcoal grills and wood burning stoves in outdoor areas cleared of all flammable materials, using dry, untreated wood or charcoal.

At least two outbuildings were destroyed by a blaze caused by a resident mowing near Falcon Elementary School of Technology on Friday afternoon. On Sunday, another fire — believed to have been sparked by a faulty trailer being pulled nearby — engulfed a home, a garage, an outbuilding and 38 acres. It also forced evacuations near North Curtis Road and Patton Drive, south of Falcon, a fire official said.

No injuries were reported.

But Petersma, Falcon fire’s deputy chief, said it could have been worse if it wasn’t for owners conducting fire mitigation in and around their property, such as keeping the grass and other vegetation at low levels to stop the spread of a fire.

“Mowing the fields or having livestock graze helps reduce how fast a fire moves,” he said. “That gives us an advantage” when firefighters are putting out a blaze.

The fire was fully contained by Sunday night.

Other grass fires reported over the weekend include one that burned 18 acres near an animal shelter in Pueblo on Sunday afternoon and another that was quickly extinguished west of Colorado Springs Airport but forced evacuations.

Forecasters continue to warn about potential fire dangers across the state. Meteorologist Sydney Jackson, of Gazette news partner KKTV, said to expect more windy, warm and dry weather throughout the week.

“While the next few days will still be fairly mild, the threat for strong wind and high fire danger will remain in the forecast,” she wrote in a report.

According to the National Weather Service in Pueblo, “a lot of impactful weather” is expected this week, with more critical fire weather, severe winds and snow along the mountains.