Aspen Acres Fire Explodes to 87,000 Acres, Forcing 11,000 to Flee Southern Colorado
The fast-moving blaze southwest of Pueblo has destroyed at least 180 structures and remains uncontained as shifting winds drive flames toward mountain towns.
A fast-moving wildfire burning southwest of Denver has forced thousands of Coloradans to flee and destroyed scores of homes, as strong winds and record heat drive one of the most destructive fire outbreaks the state has seen in years. The Aspen Acres Fire, centered about 20 miles southwest of Pueblo, had swelled to nearly 87,000 acres by Sunday and was zero percent contained, making it the largest active blaze in Colorado.
More than 11,000 people have been displaced across Custer, Pueblo, Fremont and Huerfano counties, and the fire has destroyed at least 180 structures, officials said. Shifting winds pushed the flames northwest over the weekend, forcing the evacuation of the small town of Wetmore and threatening Colorado City and the eccentric roadside landmark known as Bishop Castle. Nearly 500 firefighters were battling the blaze, with more than 300 additional crew members arriving to reinforce the effort.
The Aspen Acres Fire is one of four major wildfires scorching Colorado and neighboring Utah, which together have burned more than 190,000 acres and triggered a wave of evacuations, road closures and air-quality alerts. The Babylon Fire had grown to about 87,554 acres and remained uncontained, while the Ferris Fire, which merged with the nearby Doe Canyon Fire, had consumed 41,337 acres and was 7 percent contained. The Gold Mountain Fire in Ouray County had burned 25,920 acres with no containment as crews fought to protect structures.
Fire officials blamed a punishing combination of prolonged drought, single-digit humidity and gusty winds for the explosive growth. Much of southern Colorado has been under red-flag warnings, which signal conditions ripe for rapid fire spread, and forecasters warned the danger would persist into the coming week. Governors and emergency managers across the interior West have warned that 45 states are gripped by some level of drought this summer.
The Colorado fires added to a grim national picture over the Independence Day weekend, as a deadly heat wave, severe storms and now major wildfires converged on the country during its 250th-anniversary celebrations. Authorities urged residents in evacuation zones to leave immediately rather than wait, noting that the Aspen Acres Fire had repeatedly outrun predictions as it raced across tinder-dry grass and timber.
Originally reported by Al Jazeera.