COLORADO CITY, CO – The rapidly expanding Aspen Acres Fire has forced at least 11,000 residents to flee their homes, leaving multiple families uncertain if they will have houses to return to as fire crews battle the massive blaze.
Fleeing Families Seek Refuge In Pueblo
As the wildfire continues to grow, entire neighborhoods in Colorado City and Beulah have been ordered to pack essentials and evacuate. Many of the displaced residents have fled to nearby Pueblo, where emergency shelters are operating at high capacity.
Evacuees described the scene as “all-consuming” and “frightening,” with heavy smoke blocking out the sun and ash falling like snow across the region.
A Miraculous Escape In Beulah
Among those impacted is Daisy Weeks, a Beulah resident awaiting a double lung transplant, who was forced to evacuate her father’s property on Monday morning. While Weeks fled due to the hazardous air quality, her 82-year-old father initially refused to leave his home.
Hours after being forced to leave him behind, Weeks received a call from law enforcement confirming her father had been rescued. According to officials, the elderly man managed to escape the oncoming flames by climbing down a nearby cliff. He was reunited with his daughter at a local shelter completely uninjured, alongside his pet cat.
Complete Property Destruction
While lives were saved, the material toll on the community is severe. Neighbors have confirmed that the Weeks’ family home, an RV, personal artwork, and livestock were completely destroyed as the fire overtook their land.
Local residents describe the affected areas as tight-knit communities where neighbors consistently help one another, making the widespread devastation particularly difficult for locals to process.
What’s Next
The Aspen Acres Fire remains active, and authorities warn that more communities may face evacuation orders if containment lines do not hold. Displaced residents are being urged to stay clear of active fire zones to allow emergency vehicles and containment crews full access to the roads.
