After responding to well above the average number of structures fires from January through April this year, the Pueblo Fire Department said the number of residential fires has slowed down and regressed back to the mean. Fires classified as shed/outbuilding fires have seen a significant increase due to arson, however. In April, Chief Shawn Shelton told The Pueblo Chieftain that the department had responded to about 40 structure fires, which was roughly two to three times the normal rate for that point in the year. But Shelton said Thursday that residential fires have tapered off since and currently are at a more normal rate.