(PUEBLO COUNTY/CUSTER COUNTY, Colo.) — At a press conference on Thursday, July 2, Governor Jared Polis stressed the importance of personal responsibility this July 4th holiday and avoiding any new fires.
On Thursday, Polis toured some of the accessible areas of the Aspen Acres Fire and commented on both the destructive nature of the fire and the persistence of the first responders working to protect lives and property. He said while many structures near Beulah have burned, the post office and elementary school remain intact.
An updated estimate of structures lost in Pueblo and Custer Counties stands at about 160, though Polis said that number could be over 200. An assessment will begin to confirm losses as soon as it is safe for investigators to access the area.
Polis provided resources for evacuees impacted. DisasterRecovery.Colorado.gov is an online resource where impacted individuals can find tools to help them in the recovery process, whether you’re a homeowner, renter, farmer, or business owner.
Mike Morgan with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control said this fire has become a top priority in the state and in the nation, and noted that the incident is now at the maximum level of response.
“I’ve been a firefighter in Colorado for 40 years, and I have never seen conditions like we’re seeing out there right now,” Morgan said.
Morgan stressed the amount of resources that are currently fighting the Aspen Acres Fire, and urged Coloradans to avoid anything that could potentially spark a fire this holiday weekend, as resources would undoubtedly be pulled from the Aspen Acres Fire should another ignition take place.
“We cannot afford to get another large fire going on the landscape in the state of Colorado,” Morgan said. “Because as soon as we get that, we take resources away from the Beulah fire to keep it small.”
The fire remains at 0% containment, though first responders stressed that the containment does not mean firefighters are not making headway protecting properties.
For those impacted by the fire, Comcast has set up mobile XFinity hotspots around Pueblo County free for the public through July 7. “To support residents and first responders impacted by the Aspen Acres Fire, we have opened public Xfinity WiFi hotspots across affected areas of Pueblo County for anyone to use, including non-Xfinity customers through July 7. Residents can view hotspot locations and access information at Xfinity WiFi.”
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