Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for all land south of the intersection of Highway 67 and County Road 100 in Fremont County, stretching to the Pueblo and Custer County lines, as of Monday afternoon.

The Aspen Acres Fire has pushed fears northward, with smoke-filled air and Colorado National Guard personnel blocking roadways, marking the edge of the evacuation zone. The fire itself is not visible from the checkpoint, but its presence is unmistakable.

Evacuees say they were thankful to have had several days to prepare before Sunday night's expanded orders took effect.

Tammy Byrum and her husband were notified at 8 p.m. Sunday and were on their driveway by 8:20 p.m., go bags already packed, along with their English Mastiff, Newfoundland and St. Bernard.

"We moved here in 2014, and this is our first evacuation," said Byrum.

The couple had family visiting for the Fourth of July weekend, which helped them move quickly. Still, leaving was not easy.

"Almost refusing to leave our homes, because it's our retirement home," said Byrum.

Their property spans more than 30 acres, and concern for it remains high.

"We've seen stuff close and we've seen smoke this close, but never this close," said Byrum.

Pathfinder Park's parking lot has filled with evacuees in similar situations. Stephanie Vankomen is among them, having left the home she built from the ground up.

"Material things I can replace. People, I can't," said Vankomen.

Like the Byrums, it is Vankomen's first evacuation.

"I hope it starts to downpour. Give the firefighters a break, cause they're away from their families. Give us Coloradans a break, cause there's been so much loss. I'm praying for it," said Vankomen.

The people I spoke with in Fremont County say their homes are okay for now. But if the worst case scenario were to play out, they say there is a reason they chose to live here, they will rebuild and they will go back home.

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Bishop Castle faces an uncertain, but hopeful, future as the Aspen Acres wildfire burns nearby and its caretaker recovers in the hospital following a fall.

Daniel Bishop, who cares for Bishop Castle, the landmark his father built brick by brick, was admitted to the hospital more than a week ago after a fall. Soon after, evacuation orders came, putting the beloved structure in the Aspen Acres wildfire red zone.

"The whole backdrop of my life just changing from one drastic nightmare to the next," said Bishop.

His wife, Sage Bishop, described the toll the back-to-back crises have taken on the family.

"We're used to being in the mountains and working with our hands and doing things and our lives have been turned upside down," said Sage.

And while recovering, Bishop says he didn't know what would come of the iconic Colorado landmark.

"By the time the whole scene was printed, it was a nightmare," said Daniel.

Many people online have been asking whether Bishop Castle survived the fire. The Bishop Castle Facebook page posted that, according to the incident management team, Bishop Castle is still standing.

For Daniel, that news brings only partial relief.

"I generally don't celebrate until I really know it's time to celebrate. Until I lay my eyes on the property and know exactly what's happened," said Daniel.

He also said fires can be unpredictable, so getting excited about the condition of the castle feels too soon.

"The truth is the fire is still burning, and fires are very predictable, and it could turn around and come back from the other direction," said Daniel.

But he did say there is some reassuring news on the ground.

"There are actual fire crews there doing their job to protect the castle, there are actually people in there. Boots on the ground and helping out," said Daniel.

He said he still worries for the many people whose homes are nearby. People who continue to support the family.

"God bless the first responders for every piece of structure, everybody's property that they managed to save, because we are the fortunate ones in all of this right now. There are so many that have lost everything they had," said Daniel.

Even with the uncertainty, the family is definitely certain about one thing... Sage said the outpouring of concern from the public has meant a great deal to the family.

"The support from people that care about us is amazing," said Sage.

The family says Daniel is progressing very well and appreciates the support and kind words from the community. He said he couldn't get through this without those at Encompass Health Rehabilitation.

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The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) rapidly reconstructed a one-lane bridge on CO 165 south of Beulah on Wednesday, July 1, after it was destroyed by the Aspen Acres Fire.

CDOT says that the bridge crosses a gulch at Mile Post 16.5 on CO 165, at the intersection of CO 165 and CO 78. It's often used as a crucial access point for emergency services and southbound evacuation access for residents.

Despite the bridge being a total loss on June 30, crews worked tirelessly to repair the bridge overnight for emergency traffic.

The emergency repair will allow for alternating traffic and emergency vehicles, and restore access and avoid traffic while CDOT plans a more permanent repair.

The new bridge was completed in less than 11 hours.

Crews began the work around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, and completed the project at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1.

During wildfire season, CDOT works closely with other agencies to monitor active wildfires across the state, which can cause highway closures. During this time, please plan ahead, know your route, and identify alternate routes before leaving.

*Editor's Note: CO 165 has since been closed and evacuated due to the Aspen Acres Fire.*

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A Pueblo restaurant is opening its doors to anyone displaced by the Aspen Acres Fie, offering free meals and a place to sit and feel supported.

1129 Spirits and Eatery owner Jennifer Priest said the response from the community has been overwhelming.

"We need to recognize that we have Pueblo pride," said Priest. "These are our neighbors that we are taking care of right now."

Priest said the generosity has gone both ways.

"We've had people come and get free meals and then leave money for other people and there's so much healing and helping others," said Priest.

Kayla Munoz, manager at 1129 Spirits and Eatery, who has also been involved in the effort, said giving back is something the restaurant has always been committed to.

"Now on the reciprocating end that we've already received that type of grace from our town itself, we always try to give back now in any type of situation that we face," said Munoz.

Among those benefiting from the effort is Joey Anderson, one of the first people to evacuate Beulah on Monday. She says her dad is on the front lines.

"I was only able to grab a couple of things and I had to leave everything else behind and it's been really hard for my family," said Anderson.

Anderson said knowing where the next meal is coming from has brought some relief during an uncertain time.

"A big help for all of us victims, and I just wanna thank them so much for giving us these free meals through these challenging times," said Anderson.

Priest said she plans to keep the effort going for as long as possible, directing donations toward as many people as she can reach.

"As our community is giving us donations, we're trying to silo that to many different areas that we can to touch as many people," said Priest.

Priest said she hopes her restaurant can act as a central hub for people to drop off donations to give to shelters. She drops off items every single day.

"We're taking donations to places multiple times a day, multiple routes to different resources, first responders, those who are helping coordinate within the city as well, the firefighters, the displaced members of the community too, so we have multiple connections of where they are taking these donations currently," said Munoz.

The restaurant holds deep personal meaning for Priest. She said the same spirit that led her to open it is what drives her to keep helping now.

"1129 Spirits and Eatery is in honor of my son Jordan Munoz. He was 25 years old and unfortunately he passed away in a tragic vehicle accident. We opened the restaurant in 2019 in his memory and we've been able to do a lot of fantastic things through this restaurant, through Jordan," said Priest.

Jordan Munoz was in the first class to graduate from Pueblo Community College Fire Science Academy.

"At his funeral, the fire department showed up all the fire trucks, and they were amazing in supporting us through that time," said Priest.

That support is something Priest now wants to extend to first responders and to evacuees who do not know what tomorrow will bring. She said she isn't alone in the effort. Other businesses in the area have stepped up and donated to the cause.

Priest said they reached out after she posted a video online.

"I was at Walmart, and I was picking up some items to decorate for Fourth of July, and I walked out of Walmart and I see this horrible plume of smoke coming up. It completely changed how I felt in the moment. I came down here, and you know, the ash started falling and I'm like, 'oh my gosh, what is this going to do to our community,'" said Priest. "I made a video. It was a quick video about, you know, what can we do, who can we reach out to, and that was probably 9 o'clock in the morning. By noon we had had numerous people reach out."

People from the following businesses were some of those to reach out:

But all their donations and help goes back to those impacted by the wildfires. People like Anderson.

Anderson offered a message of hope to others, like her family, who have lost so much.

"A house is only four walls and a roof. What makes a home is the people that are inside it, and just as long as you have those people with you, you are home no matter where you are," said Anderson.

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Since the Aspen Acres Fire started on Monday, June 29, hundreds of structures have been destroyed, and thousands of community members have been displaced.

We've heard from you, our viewers, that you want to help in any way you can, so we've compiled a list of agencies and organizations that are accepting donations for the fire.

If you'd like to volunteer, the Pueblo County Sheriff asks that you contact the Pueblo CART Livestock Division - Community Animal Response Team for a verification process. Call them at (719)251-0245.

You can read the list below.

Fremont County Emergency Management has compiled a list of donations that they will accept.

Donations can be taken to 1902 East Main Street in Caon City.

If you have questions about donations, reach out to the Emergency Management Hotline at (719)276-7421.

As of 2:45 p.m. Thursday, no more donations are needed.

United Way in Pueblo is accepting financial donations and supply donations. You can drop off donations at 1591 Taos Road, Building D.

Care and Share is accepting easy-to-open shelf-stable foods, pop-top cans, granola bars, and foods that don't need preparation and can be eaten on site.

They prefer donations to be dropped off at the Colorado Springs location, which is located on Preamble Point. THIS LOCATION WILL BE CLOSED OVER THE WEEKEND STARTING FRIDAY, JULY 3.

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Tina Way and Jennifer Carter met for the first time just a few days ago, the same day Carter moved into her new home in Pueblo, and the same day the Aspen Acres Fire began on Monday.

Carter said she immediately wanted to open her property to anyone who needed it.

"We have the space, we have a barn, we have the shop, anybody who needed to come, we have an empty house, we wanted to offer the space that we had to anybody that needed it and Tina reached out," said Carter.

What brought the two women together was a post on the KOAA Facebook page. Carter had responded to on the post saying she could give shelter to animals during the fire. Way saw the comment at exactly the right moment.

"I saw her post and we had just walked into our neighbor's home and they were packing and they were frantic about their animals," said Way.

Way was looking for a safe place for her neighbor's goats. She found that and much more.

"She was waiting for us at the road with her arms waving and when we saw each other, we just ran up and gave each other a hug because we knew this has just created instant friendships," said Way.

Carter can see the smoke from the Aspen Acres Fire from her property, but she said that has not slowed her down.

"I would just pick up the goats and put them in my car if I needed to, you know what I mean, and we would just go," said Carter.

Carter's neighbor also assisted in giving animals shelter.

"My neighbor actually spent all of Monday chasing livestock and has some of the farm animals in her yard too. She provided the kitty pool and the fan that's here. So I think everybody's just really trying to be part of a community that's helping each other," said Carter.

But it isn't just goats Carter is helping.

I mean she spent spent her morning taking formula to a mother who was out-placed and has a baby. There are so many people on Facebook asking how they can help," said Way.

Way is also stepping up. She said she is making soup for those who are sick and displaced from the fire.

For Way, Carter's actions, on her very first day as a Pueblo resident, said everything.

"She just moved here and she's showing what Pueblo really is all about," said Way.

Both women said their story is a reminder that small acts of kindness can have an outsized impact.

"It can be the littlest thing, you can make the biggest difference," said Way.

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The Aspen Acres Fire continues to burn along Highway 165 near Rye, prompting evacuations for many areas in southern Colorado.

As of Wednesday morning, the fire has burned 35,467 acres with 0% containment.

News5 viewers have continued to reach out with the latest on the blaze, including photos, videos, and resource updates.

You can send us your photos and videos of the fire below. Remember, the priority is to stay safe!

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Several crews are working to contain the Aspen Acres Fire along Highway 165 near Rye. As of Monday afternoon, a week after the fire started, it has burned 91,982 acres and is 13% contained.

On Monday, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office said they would begin downgrading areas west of I-25, north of Cummings Street, east of South Crow Cutoff, east of Haynes Road and south of Jerry Bass Lane in Colorado City from an evacuation order to pre-evacuation status.

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, which is located at the Pueblo Academy of Arts.

The DAC is closed at this time and will re-open on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Two meetings will be held on Tuesday for evacuees at Custer County High School. The first will be at 6 p.m. for those evacuated around and south of Lake Isabel. The second will be at 7 p.m. for those evacuated in the Aspen Acres area. Grief counselors will be available to speak with.

WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THE ASPEN ACRES FIRE

Evacuations as of Monday, July 6

Pre-evacuations as of Monday, July 6

Fire Details and Evacuation Centers

The Supermax complex in Florence is in as shelter-in-place and visiting has been suspended at the facility due to the Aspen Acres Fire.

The Custer County Sheriff says that some areas are also under a fire advisory:

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.

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.

The Sheriff's Office added that the fire is about 20 miles from Pueblo, but there is no threat to Pueblo as of Friday morning.

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.

The YMCA of Pueblo is offering free access to all wildfire evacuees.

FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to help cover 75% of the states 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.

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.

News5 viewers can see plumes of heavy black smoke in the area.

Have an image that will help tell the story? Share it below:

The Beulah Fire Department stated in a Facebook post that they were responding to assist crews with the Rye Fire Department.

The fire is said to have started along Highway 165 at mile marker 17.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is shared.

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