The man accused of sparking the fire off Garden of the Gods Road Thursday, which burned 20 acres and threatened three houses, has been wanted by police for the past 15 months as a suspect in a separate arson incident.

Adam Gilmour, 48, of Colorado Springs was arrested late Thursday night and is now facing a felony fourth-degree arson charge related to the fire that prompted a heavy response on Thursday.

According to the Colorado Springs Fire Department, the grassy hillside near the intersection of North 30th Street and Garden of the Gods Road caught fire around 3 p.m. and 40 firefighters responded. The fire shut down the nearby intersection and Red Leg Brewing Co.

According to Colorado Springs police, Gilmour was found within 12 hours of the initial flames breaking out once police identified him as a suspect. In addition to arson, he is accused of possession of narcotics along with the charges tied to his past warrants.

Red Leg Brewing Company opens for normal operations following grass fire Thursday

Gilmour has a criminal history dating back decades, according to court records. He faced several domestic violence cases and was charged with domestic violence-related homicide in 2011. Records show he took a plea deal to have the homicide charge dropped in exchange for pleading guilty to lesser charges.

Gilmour was charged with misdemeanor arson in 2021 in a case that is still open. According to a spokesperson for the 4th Judicial District, Gilmour was allowed to leave custody on a personal recognizance bond a judge granted over prosecutors’ objections. Gilmour, who was also going through a mental competency process at the time, then stopped appearing at his court dates. He has had an active arrest warrant since October 2023 in the case.

The person who initially called to report Thursday’s fire told police investigators that they saw the person they thought was responsible for starting the fire.

On Friday, Mayor Yemi Mobolade provided more context about how the fire started. He released a statement on X thanking the Fire Department for its swift response and saying that investigators believe the fire began at an illegal campsite.

“The new No. 1 cause of wildfires in Colorado Springs is arson, which includes fires involving people experiencing homelessness,” Mobolade said. “In 2024, our Fire Department responded to 419 fires involving the unhoused, and we have already responded to 183 homeless fires just 73 days into 2025.”

Public records show Gilmour’s last residence was only blocks away from the site of the fire, but it is unknown if he still lives there.

Mobolade’s 2025 homelessness-response action plan document, released earlier this year, includes a section on enforcement and the clean-up of homeless encampments, that includes the city goal to “Implement fire prevention strategies to reduce encampment related fire hazards.”

In his social media message Friday, Mobolade continued: “While we are diligent in our efforts to connect individuals to the services they need, it is equally important that we hold everyone accountable to the rule of law, especially when it could impact our community’s safety.”

The mayor said to expect more encampment clean-ups and targeted enforcement throughout the city.

Homes threatened, but grass fire off Garden of the Gods Road contained at 20 acres

Fire danger

Conditions remain prime for fires to spark Friday, with 40 to 50 mph wind gusts expected and low humidity levels around 14%, according to Gazette news partner KOAA.

El Paso County will be under a red flag warning from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. because of high fire danger.

Meteorologists at KOAA are forecasting snow along the Palmer Divide in the morning hours until noon. Cloud cover is expected to linger throughout the day.

An approaching storm system will move into the region Saturday morning, bringing cooler temperatures into the 40s and scattered snowfall in the higher elevation areas, according to KOAA.

A warmer Sunday is expected with high temperatures in the low 60s, followed by a return of high fire danger Monday.