FILE – In this April 17, 2018 file photo, wildfires burn in rural southern El Paso County near Hanover, Colo. As Colorado enters a drought-fueled wildfire season, rural fire departments are bracing for another round of budget cuts triggered by the state constitution. Fire chiefs are pushing lawmakers to pass a late bill that would delay them.(Dougal Brownlie/The Gazette via AP, File) 
This April 13, 2018, satellite image released by Copernicus Sentinel Data and Service Information shows smoke from wildfires in Oklahoma. Forecasters on Tuesday, April 17, warned of dangerous, life-threatening wildfire conditions in parts of the Southwest and Southern Plains as firefighters in rural Oklahoma continue battling deadly blazes. The Storm Prediction Center says gusty winds and low humidity in drought-stricken areas will create dangerous conditions in parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. (Copernicus Sentinel Data and Service Information via AP) 
This image provided by the National Weather Service shows a false-color image made by a NOAA geostationary (GOES) satellite, showing a long plume of smoke and dust from wildfires in Colorado Tuesday, April 17, 2018. The plume is heaviest in the San Luis Valley in the southern part of the state, bottom, trailing off more than 300 miles (480 kilometers) to the northeast to the Nebraska border. Fire crews are fighting five new wind-swept wildfires around Colorado as hurricane-force winds also kick up dust, topple trucks and close highways in the state. (National Weather Service via AP)
COLORADO SPRINGS | A fire that destroyed 23 homes in southern Colorado was human-caused, according to investigators.
El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder said he thinks the blaze could have been started by a discarded cigarette or a spark thrown by a passing vehicle. Lightning has been ruled out as a cause.
The fire was reported near Interstate 25 in southern El Paso County on Tuesday and was fueled by gusty winds for two days before firefighters were able to fully contain it Thursday, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported . It has burned more than 65 square miles (168 square kilometers).
Rain and snow Friday and Saturday helped douse remaining hot spots near containment lines.
Firefighters will continue to patrol and monitor the burn scar and are warning residents that hazards could still exist. White ash on the ground can indicate deep pockets where roots and ground vegetation are still burning. Standing dead trees could also fall, especially in high winds or when loaded with snow.
Residents are also being told to avoid breathing smoke directly from smoldering areas, especially from piles that may contain plastics or other toxic materials.
Investigators have not determined if the fire was started accidentally or deliberately.
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Information from: The Gazette, https://www.gazette.com
