WELLINGTON, Colo. -- Recreational use of a firearm was suspected of causing a fast-spreading grass fire near Wellington early Saturday afternoon. The person responsible has been identified and could face charges.

Heavy smoke from the fire made it difficult to determine an accurate size. Original estimates of 100 acres have been pared down to an official size of 38 acres.

Someone was shooting a gun when a spark from the gun started the fire, firefighters said. Authorities from Poudre Fire Authority and Wellington Fire, with assistance from the Weld County Sheriff's Department and Colorado State Patrol, worked on getting the fire under control.

When firefighters first arrived on scene, they found a rapidly spreading, wind-driven grass fire that was moving towards a home and an outbuilding. Crews were able to put the fire out within a few feet of the buildings, saving both from being destroyed.

The fire was located northeast of the intersection of Weld County Road 15 and Weld County Road 84. That's near the Weld-Larimer County line, east of Fort Collins.

Saturday’s fire was the third vegetation fire in as many days within Poudre Fire's district. It also came a day after a 500-acre wildfire burned in Elbert County, northeast of Kiowa. No structures were lost, but the fire did get within about 10 feet of a home.