Aspen Acres Fire destroys homes, forces thousands to evacuate in Colorado

More than 150 structures were destroyed as the Aspen Acres Fire tore through Pueblo and Custer counties, including about 100 in Pueblo County and 55 in Custer County. About 2,732 households and more than 4,000 people were ordered out as the fire moved through Rye, Beulah and San Isabel, leaving deputies to patrol evacuated neighborhoods and warn against trespassing, theft and vandalism.

The blaze was first reported around 5:30 a.m. Monday, June 29, 2026, near Aspen Acres Campground. By Monday evening it had grown to about 23,000 acres with no containment, and by Tuesday, June 30, it had expanded to just over 28,000 acres and remained 0% contained. The fire began as two separate fires before merging into one wildfire, complicating the response across steep terrain and scattered mountain communities.

Wind became one of the fire’s most dangerous features. Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero said gusts in Rye reached close to 100 mph, strong enough to keep air support grounded on Monday and push aerial suppression back until at least Tuesday morning. The same conditions forced crews to rely on ground operations while the fire spread through rural neighborhoods, cabins and outbuildings.

Substantial damage was also confirmed at the historic Horseshoe Lodge at Mountain Park, a restored 1930s-era retreat listed on the National and State Historic Register. Damage assessments continued as property owners were to be notified in person once losses were officially confirmed. Investigators from the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control remained on scene to determine the cause, which had not been released.

One firefighter based in Westcliffe was injured on Monday, June 29, though the condition was not immediately known.