The Aspen Acres Fire continues to burn aggressively across southern Colorado, prompting expanded mandatory evacuations and pre-evacuation notices for communities near Wetmore, Beulah, Rye, San Isabel, and Colorado City. Fire officials reported Wednesday afternoon that the wildfire had grown to 35,467 acres and remained 0% contained, as firefighters battled extreme fire weather conditions under a Red Flag Warning.
According to the latest update from emergency management officials, the fire’s rapid growth has forced evacuations across multiple communities west of Interstate 25. Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for the Town of Beulah, Town of Rye, Town of San Isabel, the Red Creek Ranch area, Burnt Mill Road east to Interstate 25, 12 Mile Road, 3R Road to Crow Cutoff, and from Lazy Acres to Bishop Castle along Highway 165. Authorities stressed that no evacuation orders have been lifted, and residents should continue following official instructions.
Additional pre-evacuation notices remain in effect for areas surrounding Wetmore, as well as the corridor between Highway 78 and Highway 96, extending east from Beulah to Siloam Road. Residents in these locations are urged to prepare for immediate evacuation should conditions worsen. Officials also advised anyone needing extra time to evacuate to leave early while roadways remain accessible.
Firefighters continue working under dangerous weather conditions, with Red Flag Warnings in effect through the evening and continuing into the following day. High temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds are expected to increase fire activity, making containment efforts especially challenging.
Law enforcement officers remain in evacuation zones assisting residents with safely leaving affected areas. Officials have also urged members of the public not to self-deploy into evacuation areas. While many community members have offered assistance, emergency managers emphasized that unauthorized access can interfere with firefighters and specialized response teams, including the Community Animal Response Team (CART), which is actively rescuing livestock and domestic animals.
To support displaced animals, CART is requesting grass-only hay donations at the Colorado State Fairgrounds, where the large animal shelter remains operational. Donations can be delivered through Gate 7. Small animals are being accepted at the evacuation shelter located at the Pueblo County Recreation Center, while a Disaster Assistance Center has opened at the Pueblo Academy of Arts to provide resources for evacuees from Pueblo and Custer counties.
Emergency officials continue encouraging residents to monitor trusted information sources and remain prepared for rapidly changing conditions. Anyone seeking assistance or wishing to support response efforts is encouraged to contact the Joint Information Center at (719) 583-4640.
Firefighters remain committed to protecting lives, homes, livestock, and critical infrastructure as suppression operations continue around the clock. Additional updates regarding fire growth, containment, evacuation orders, weather conditions, and road closures are expected as crews continue battling the Aspen Acres Fire.