Updated
Updated · Colorado Springs Gazette · Jul 5
Fremont County Orders Mandatory Evacuations for Williamsburg as Aspen Acres Fire Spreads Across 4 Counties
Updated
Updated · Colorado Springs Gazette · Jul 5

Fremont County Orders Mandatory Evacuations for Williamsburg as Aspen Acres Fire Spreads Across 4 Counties

3 articles · Updated · Colorado Springs Gazette · Jul 5

Summary

  • Fremont County on Sunday night upgraded every pre-evacuation zone to a mandatory order, adding Williamsburg as the Aspen Acres fire continued burning.
  • The evacuation footprint now stretches across Pueblo, Custer, Huerfano and Fremont counties, covering communities including Rockvale, Coal Creek, Colorado City, Wetmore, Beulah, Rye and San Isabel.
  • Pueblo County also published a new evacuation map showing affected addresses, while officials said listed properties are not necessarily burned.
  • More than 1,000 animals had already been taken in by Saturday afternoon at the Colorado State Fairgrounds, with Pathfinder Park Event Center in Florence also accepting evacuated animals.
  • The Pueblo Academy of Arts disaster assistance center is set to reopen Monday at 1 p.m. for evacuees and residents who lost homes, with proof of residency required.

Insights

With multiple major fires raging, are Colorado's emergency response resources being stretched to their absolute limit?
As 'unstoppable' wildfires grow, can home hardening protect communities without drastic changes in forest management?
This massive fire was human-caused. What new measures can prevent future catastrophic ignitions during critical fire weather?