RYE, Colo. (KOAA) — Several crews are working to contain the Aspen Acres Fire burning across three Pueblo and Custer counties. The morning of Saturday, July 11, more than a week after the fire started, it has burned 97,505 acres and is 34% contained.
- Watch News5's latest coverage of the fire below:
On Friday morning, based on fire activity, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office lifted the pre-evacuation orders in the following areas:
- West of I-25, North of Cummings St., East of S. Crow Cutoff, East of Haynes Road, and South of Jerry Bass Lane
The following areas that were previously under evacuation orders are now being downgraded to pre-evacuation statuses:
- 3R Road
- Signal Mountain
- Town of Colorado City
- Lake Beckwith to Crow Cutoff and locations east of Highway 165 to Ray Boulevard
On Saturday, July 11, the Pueblo County Sheriff said that many Beulah residents are going to be able to start phased re-entry.
Community members must have a re-entry card or photo ID with proof of residency to re-enter. You will need to get a re-entry card at the Disaster Assistance Center at the Pueblo Academy of Arts.
On Friday, the Colorado City community thanked firefighters for their hard work.
- Watch the Town of Colorado City say thank you to firefighters below:
The Fremont County Sheriff's Office said it determined it could move all areas under evacuation status to pre-evacuation status.
Despite this, Fremont County Sheriff Cooper stresses that this can change quickly, as it is still an active fire.
For residents who are returning home;
- Colorado Cleanup Crisis Hotline: (970)283-7325
- Residents with a well can test their water with a free testing kit from the Pueblo Health Department: (719)583-4300
- Dumpsters are available in three locations for residents who are trying to clean up;
- Ace Hardware in Colorado City
- Colorado City Library
- Fire Station 2 off of Waterbarrel Road in Beulah
There is a mandatory curfew for the impacted areas of the Aspen Acres Fire between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., according to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office.
State officials say people who get their water from the Pine Drive Water District or Signal Mountain Ranch Property Owners Water Company should not use the tap water for anything except showering or watering.
- Watch News5's coverage of those water concerns below:
Use bottled water for anything else, including drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth.
The state says any returning evacuees who have private wells should also use bottled water right now because of possible contamination and damage.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THE ASPEN ACRES FIRE
Evacuations as of Friday, July 10
- Areas along Highway 67, extending approximately 4.5 miles north from the Custer County line, two miles east, and two-and-a-half miles west
- Huerfano County residents west of I-25 who use Colorado City to get to their properties.
- Town of Wetmore: Pueblo County line to Mackenzie Junction to Fremont County to the north
- Red Creek area from Siloam Road east to the area of Red Creek Springs Road west and Hwy 96 west in Pueblo County
- Red Creek Ranch area, north of Hwy 78 and south of Hwy 96, west of Siloam Road
- North Creek area encompassing Central Road to the Custer County Line
- Lazy Acres along Highway 165 and Bishop's Castle area
- Aspen Acres Subdivision
- residents along 12 Mile Road
- South Pine Drive
- Town of Beulah
- Town of Rye
- Town of San Isabel
- south of Lake Isabel to Rye, a two-mile evacuation from San Isabel
Pre-evacuations as of Friday, July 10
- Fremont County Roads 15, 100, and 103
- Newlin Ridge Road
- Los Pinos subdivision
- Lock Mountain Estates
- Town of Rockvale
- Town of Coal Creek
- Town of Williamsburg
- west of Interstate 25, including Hatchett Ranch
- Red Creek at the Custer County/Pueblo County Line at County Rd. 387
- 3R Road
- Signal Mountain
- Town of Colorado City
- Lake Beckwith to Crow Cutoff and locations east of Highway 165 to Ray Boulevard
- Burnt Mill Road to I-25
Fire Details and Evacuation Centers
- Fire has burned 97,505 acres and is 34% contained
- Evacuation centers at 1650 Cooper Place in Pueblo. The Large Animal Center is now at the Colorado State Fairgrounds. The Lange Hall in Westcliffe, next to the Lutheran Church, is the new evacuation center for Custer County. There's also an evacuation center at Pathfinder Park in Florence for both animals and people.
- Beulah Fire Protection and Ambulance District has confirmed the loss of 193 primary residences on Wednesday, July 8, not including smaller buildings, cars, or other properties
- 254 homes have been destroyed in Pueblo County as of Friday, July 10.
- 83 homes and five buildings have been destroyed in Custer County as of Friday, July 10. Two homes have major damage and five homes have minor damage
- In total, 851 structures have been lost according to the incident command team on Friday, July 10.
- 1,900 personnel are working on this fire
The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office has also released an interactive map that outlines the fire perimeter and evacuation areas. They say that the map will be updated as information changes.
You can interact with the map below or visit this link.
- Watch drone video in Beulah below:
Incident command provided updates on the Aspen Acres Fire to community members on Monday.
- Watch News5's coverage of the meeting below:
The Supermax complex in Florence is under shelter-in-place, and visiting has been suspended at the facility due to the Aspen Acres Fire.
- Watch News5's coverage of the shelter-in-place below:
My Neighbor's Cupboard is making sure families who have evacuated don't have to search far for the basics. They have an evacuation site at the Love's RV Stop in Fremont County.
- Watch News5's coverage of My Neighbor's Cupboard helping evacuees below:
The Custer County Sheriff says that some areas are also under a fire advisory:
- As of Sunday, July 5, areas north of Highway 69 from the Custer County Line, following CO-69 to the intersection with Red Rock Road, east to I-25, and following I-25 north to the Pueblo County Line are included.
- Upper Huerfano and Gardner areas from Highway 69 northwest and north to the Custer County Line (Promontory Divide), extending east along Highway 69 to Badito, and north to the Pueblo County Line. A map of the advisory can be found below:
Last Saturday morning, the Incident Command Team reported more extreme fire behavior on Friday, but a change in the weather has increased relative humidity and cloud cover overnight.
However, they report the fire made it to CO-165 Highway and crossed in several places.
Officials are urging people boating on Lake Pueblo to please stay close to the shoreline whenever possible and avoid the center channel of the lake. The center channel is the preferred flight path for aircraft as they approach and depart while scooping water.
Hwy 96 is closed from Hwy 165 at McKenzie Junction to Pueblo unless you are evacuating. The highway is open to local traffic from Mile Marker 0 to Mile Marker 13. Mile Marker 12 to 34 is closed to all traffic.
CO 96 from Butler Street in Silver Cliff to Siloam Road, CO 67 from Wetmore to Mile Marker 3, CO 165 from McKenzie Junction to I-25, and CO 78 from CO 165 to Rock Creek Road is closed.
As of 10:00 a.m. on Friday, officials report that visibility along I-25 around Mile Marker 74 could be as low as 1/2 mile due to smoke from the fire.
FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to help cover 75% of the state’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating, and controlling designated fires.
If you need help evacuating, visit the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office's website.
One business owner is stepping in to help protect homes affected by the Aspen Acres Fire at no cost.
- Watch News5's coverage of the business owner below:
The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office says more than 3,800 homes have been evacuated.
It is recommended that you stay indoors in Pueblo as smoke has completely engulfed the city.
The Custer County Sheriff's Office first issued an evacuation order for the Aspen Acres neighborhood and campground in Southeast Custer County in the area where the fire was first reported early Monday morning.
The Aspen Acres neighborhood and campground are located northwest of the community of Rye along Highway 165.
The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control has taken command of the incident. Multiple air resources were en route Monday but had to be canceled due to windy conditions, according to the Custer County Sheriff's Office.
- Check out your photos and videos of the Aspen Acres Fire below:
Have an image that will help tell the story? Share it below:
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A look inside the Aspen Acres Fire zone
A firsthand look inside the Aspen Acres Fire burn scar shows the random nature of the fire's destruction.
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