Incident Command said moisture from the monsoon weather remains in place, keeping showers and thunderstorms in the forecast throughout Friday. Any storm that develops may produce heavy rain, lightning, and gusty/erratic winds, which could affect public and crew safety. Chances of localized flooding remain high over the Aspen Acres burn scar.

The Aspen Acres Fire will transfer command to another Wyoming Type 3 Team on Saturday, Aug. 15, at 6 a.m. To support a smooth transition, members of the outgoing team are remaining with the incoming team. Wyoming Type 3 Team 5 members who are exiting would like to express their sincere gratitude to the community and all partner agencies involved with the Aspen Acres Fire. It has been a privilege to serve and support the community.

Fire operations update

• Small pockets of fire activity continue to be visible in the southwest portion of the fire area, occasionally producing localized columns of smoke.

  • This behavior is expected during remaining wildfire suppression and suppression repair operations, as unburned fuels, heavy vegetation, and residual heat sources continue to smolder or burn near the fire perimeter.

   

  • The presence of smoke columns in these areas does not, by itself, indicate an increase in overall fire intensity, a loss of containment, or a heightened risk of fire spread.

  • This fire may remain active on the landscape until a season-ending moisture event occurs.

• A combination of steep, rocky, hazardous terrain and standing dead trees prevents the use of direct extinguishment tactics in the uncontained fire area.

  • These unsafe conditions create significant safety risks for firefighters and limit the ability to safely deploy and extract personnel and equipment.

  • Fire personnel continue to assess the areas for opportunities to establish containment.

• Current efforts are focused on suppression repair of unneeded dozer lines with heavy equipment and crews.

• Due to the fire's extensive footprint, recent rainfall has not resulted in measurable precipitation across all areas of the incident.

• For public safety during equipment operations, and due to uncontained fireline, a closure area remains in effect on the San Carlos District, though Highways are open to through traffic.

Map of fire

An updated map of the Aspen Acres Fire is shown below. Containment lines are depicted in black.

Aspen Acres Fire Update – August 14, 2026

Pueblo County voter registration reminder

Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder Candace Rivera and Election staff are reminding those affected by the Aspen Acres Fire that ballots for the Nov. 3 Pueblo County General Election will be mailed out on Oct. 5.

To ensure ballots are delivered to the correct location, voters should verify their registration information is up to date. To update information before Oct. 5, go to the Election Office at 201 W. 8th Street, 7th Floor, Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or online at govotecolorado.gov.

Those staying in temporary housing should keep their home address as their residence and add the temporary location as the mailing address so the proper ballot is sent without interruption. For questions, call (319) 583-6620.

Evacuations for Aspen Acres Fire

• All evacuation zones have been reduced to either pre-evacuation or clear status. For zones in pre-evacuation status, people must receive a re-entry card from their respective county. Upon return, homeowners should be prepared to leave again if weather or fire conditions worsen.

• People are advised to call the Joint Information Center at (719) 583-4640 for information about closures, evacuations, Disaster Assistance Center information, and more for Pueblo and Custer Counties.

• The Custer County Sheriff's Office has also opened an information line for community members in Custer County.

  • The information line is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • The number is (719) 467-0271.

  • If the line is busy, people are asked to leave a message and wait for a call back.

• For Huerfano and Fremont counties, people should visit their county's social media pages or call (719) 738-1044 for Huerfano County dispatch and (719) 276-7421 for the Fremont County Emergency Operations Center.

Shelter, other information for evacuees

• Lange Hall

  • 3rd St, Westcliffe

  • Small animals accepted

• Pueblo County Recreation Center

  • 1650 Cooper Place

  • Small animals accepted

• Pathfinder Park: Livestock and large animals

  • 6639 Highway 115, Florence

• Colorado State Fairgrounds: Livestock and large animals

  • 1001 Beulah Avenue

  • Enter Gate 7 off of Small Avenue

  • Animal release steps from the Pueblo County Community Animal Response Team

    • Animal releases from the grounds are open from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

    • Enter through Gate 7; after that, people will be sent to the paperwork station.

    • People should prepare to provide ownership information for their animals either by providing brand papers, a bill of sale, vet health records, or other related documentation.

      • If those items are unavailable due to the disaster, contact Pueblo County Brand Inspector Zach Kuhn at (719) 225-0137

• Fire Information Phone Line

  • (719) 697-8353

• Official Fire Information

  • Aspen Acres Fire 2026 Facebook page: Click here

  • Aspen Acres Fire Information - InciWeb

• Joint Information Center

  • The public can call (719) 583-4640

• Colorado Disaster Recovery

  • Click here: Colorado Disaster Recovery

• Disaster Assistance Center

  • Lange Hall, 310 South 3rd Street, Westcliffe.

  • D.A.C hours:

    • Monday - Friday: 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

    • Saturday: 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

• Colorado 2-1-1

  • Wildfire Resources, or call 211 for fire information or resources. English: 1-844-975-1881 and Spanish: 1-844-975-1882.

• Aspen Acres Fire Disaster Portal

  • Pueblo County access here: Survivor Portal

  • Custer County access here: Survivor Portal

• Crisis Cleanup Hotline

  • Those who need assistance with cleanup can contact the Crisis Cleanup Hotline at (970) 283-7325 to request volunteer help with debris removal, ash cleanup, and other eligible recovery needs.

Recovery Assistance Center in Pueblo

The following hours and location information are for the Recovery Assistance Center in Pueblo:

• The RAC is located at Beulah Heights Elementary, 2670 Delphinium Street.

• Beginning Monday, Aug. 3, RAC will be open Monday-Wednesday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

• The RAC will be closed Thursday through Sunday.

Structures lost due to Aspen Acres Fire

The latest updates on structures lost due to the Aspen Acres Fire:

• According to Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero, the number of homes and commercial properties destroyed in Pueblo County is 241.

  • Sheriff Lucero said the lost structures include 208 in Beulah, 28 in Rye, two in Colorado City, and three in unincorporated Pueblo County.

• Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith said the total in Custer has climbed to 85.

Road closures due to Aspen Acres Fire

Follow the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) for the latest closures at COtrip.org.

Southern Colorado Wildfire Relief: Where to donate

The United Way of Southern Colorado has organized several ways for the community to donate and help those impacted by the Aspen Acres Fire.

Information on how to donate is below:

• Visit unitedwaysoco.org/emergencyinfo to donate, view the current list of needed items, and learn more.

• For monetary donations, 100% of every dollar goes directly to wildfire relief and recovery efforts.

• The United Way of Southern Colorado's Wildfire Donation & Distribution Center has relocated to the Resource Assistance Center (RAC) at 2670 Delphinium Street in Pueblo.

  • A separate entrance and parking lot for the Donation & Distribution Center are located on the south side of the building. Visitors donating supplies or picking up available assistance should use this designated entrance and parking area.

  • The center will continue to accept donated relief supplies and distribute essential items to individuals and families affected by the Southern Colorado wildfires.

  • It is open Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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