Aspen Acres Fire grows to 23,000 acres with 100 mph winds reported
Zach Hillstrom- The towns of Beulah and Rye in Pueblo County are under evacuation due to a massive, uncontained wildfire.
- Evacuation shelters have been set up, and one shelter accepts household pets.
- Large animals and livestock are being evacuated to the Colorado State Fairgrounds.
- Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect. Fires, campfires and stove fires are prohibited, along with smoking, fireworks, welding and other activities that could cause a spark.
- Look below for information on where to donate to those affected and what goods are needed.
The Pueblo County towns of Beulah and Rye were evacuated on June 29 due to a massive, fast-spreading wildfire that had burned more than 23,000 acres as of Monday evening. San Isabel and several other areas in Custer County are also under mandatory evacuation.
At 5:16 p.m., the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office announced the fire was 0% contained at an estimated 23,000 acres, with an unspecified number of structures affected.
While the total property loss is unknown, Sheriff David Lucero said at a 4:30 p.m. press conference that at least four homes had been destroyed. No injuries had been reported as of the PCSO's most recent update.
Lucero said that due to heavy winds, firefighters have so far been unable to deploy air support to fight the fire. The PCSO's latest news release stated that winds in the area have reached speeds of approximately 100 miles per hour.
Crews on the ground have been working nonstop to protect homes, but some areas are hard to access due to the environment and terrain, Lucero said.
The fire, which was initially reported around 5:30 a.m. near the Aspen Acres campground, is burning around the county line between Pueblo and Custer counties. Its cause and origin are currently unknown.
A mandatory evacuation was ordered for Beulah on Monday morning, and an evacuation was ordered for Rye just after 1 p.m., according to a wireless emergency alert sent by the PCSO. Additional mandatory evacuation orders were then issued for 3 R Road to Crow Cutoff and 3R Road east to Waterbarrel Road.
Impacted residents who need assistance evacuating should call 911 immediately.
"Please leave the area as soon as possible and continue to monitor official Pueblo County emergency alerts for updates," county officials said in a Facebook post.
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Highway 165 is closed northbound and southbound from mile point 0 (at CO 96) to mile point 31.4 (at Beverly Drive), and Colorado Highway 78 is closed from mile point 0 (at CO 165) to mile point 23 (at Rock Creek Road) due to the fire.
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What to know about evacuations
In Pueblo County, current evacuation orders are in place for:
- 12 Mile Road
- Lazy Acres
- Town of Beulah
- Town of Rye
- Three R Road to Crow Cutoff
- Crow Cutoff
- Waterbarrel Road
- Burnt Mill Road to Interstate 25
In Custer County, evacuation orders are in place for:
- Bishop Castle
- San Isabel
- Highway 96 and Highway 165, south to the Pueblo County line
An evacuation shelter has been established at the Pueblo County Recreation Center, 1650 Cooper Place, and another shelter has been set up at the Wetmore Community Center, 95 County Road 393.
Household pets are being accepted at the 1650 Cooper Place evacuation center, and an evacuation site for large animals and livestock has been established at the Colorado State Fairgrounds. Those bringing large animals or livestock to the evacuation site should only enter through Gate 7, off Small Avenue.
Individuals in affected areas with livestock who have no way to transport them are encouraged to cut their fences.
The YMCA of Pueblo is also opening its facility free of charge to individuals and families displaced by the fire on June 29 and June 30.
The YMCA will provide complimentary access to evacuees on Monday from 3-9 p.m. and Tuesday from noon to 9 p.m. Guests will be asked to provide proof they are from an evacuation zone, such as an evacuation notice, official alert, or other form of verification.
Prior to the Beulah and Rye evacuations, residents from Aspen Acres along Colorado Highway 165 to Old San Isabel Road were asked to evacuate. That evacuation area was later expanded to include residents in the Lazy Acres and Bishop Castle areas.
Just before 8:30 a.m., evacuations were also ordered for residents along 12 Mile Road.
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions implemented
Due to the fire and persistent fire danger in the region, Lucero is implementing Stage 2 fire restrictions effective immediately.
“This is not a decision that I take lightly but is one that is done with consideration for safety and well-being of our citizens and First Responders, particularly now with the Aspen Acres fire in Custer County,” Lucero said in a news release.
“With the extremely dry conditions, lack of precipitation and the number of fires that have occurred in and around Pueblo County, this has become a real safety concern. Even though we may see some precipitation, it will not be enough right now to lessen the fire danger.”
Stage 2 restrictions prohibit building, maintaining, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire; smoking; selling or using fireworks; welding or operating certain torches; operating or using internal combustion engines without spark-arresting devices; and using a motor vehicle off of established roads, among others.
The restrictions also apply to Lake Pueblo State Park.
For a full list of fire prohibitions, visit pueblo.us/2891/Stage-2-Fire-Restrictions
Violations of the fire restrictions can result in fines and mandatory court appearances.
Weather Service issues Red Flag Warning, health department issues Air Quality Advisory
Smoke and flames are currently visible from Beulah, and smoke can be seen and smelled in Pueblo.
The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a Red Flag Warning for gusty winds and low relative humidity, which is in effect until 10 p.m. on Monday.
Due to poor air quality from the smoke and fire, the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment has issued an air quality advisory as smoke and ash from the fire are significantly deteriorating air quality.
PDPH is recommending all community members take the following precautions:
- Stay indoors as much as possible
- Avoid outdoor activities and exercise
- Keep windows and doors closed
- Limit exposure to smoke, especially for children, older adults, and individuals with respiratory conditions
All outdoor programs in Pueblo County and the city of Pueblo have been canceled on Monday due to air quality concerns.
Most donations on hold, but some pet items needed
Early on in the fire response, Pueblo County officials said donations to assist evacuees impacted by the Aspen Acres Fire could be dropped off at the Pueblo County Recreation Center, 1650 Cooper Place, but later announced that donations were no longer being accepted after an "outpouring of support."
Just before 7 p.m., however, county officials said they'd identified a need for donations for animals affected by the fire, including bath towels and wet cat food.
Those donations can be taken to the Pueblo County Recreation Center.
Colorado governor declares disaster emergency
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency in response to the fire on Monday morning and authorized the Colorado National Guard to support fire response efforts.
The verbal declaration "activates the State Emergency Operations Plan and directs the Department of Public Safety and its Divisions of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) and Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) to take all necessary and appropriate actions to assist with response, recovery, and mitigation efforts."
"This support includes engine and hand crews to assist in containment efforts, DFPC aerial resources, and the DFPC-sponsored Type 3 Incident Management Team to manage incident response efforts," the governor's office stated in a news release.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This story was updated to include additional information and photos.
Chieftain Editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at [email protected] or on X at @ZachHillstrom. Support local news; subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com