Beulah and Aspen Acres Fire Update
There is finally more hopeful news for Beulah and the communities affected by the Aspen Acres Fire, though the road ahead is still long. As of the latest Sunday morning update, the fire has crossed the 100,000-acre mark and is reported at 100,224 acres with 61% containment, a major improvement from the 48% reported earlier. More than 1,600 firefighters and support personnel remain assigned to the fire.
Beulah has reopened, and residents no longer need re-entry cards to return, though officials are asking people who do not need to be there to give the community space as recovery begins. Many families are returning to homes, smoke damage, spoiled food, unsafe trees, ash, and the heartbreaking reality of what has been lost. For others, there is no home to return to. KOAA’s latest roundup reported more than 850 structures lost, including hundreds of homes across Pueblo and Custer counties.
Even with the progress, many families are still displaced. Officials reported that thousands of people have been driven from their homes by this fire, and although phased re-entry continues in Pueblo and Custer counties, many residents near Rye are still waiting to return. Firefighters remain especially focused on the west and southwest sides of the fire, where crews are working to keep the flames from spreading toward Rye and San Isabel.
Evacuation conditions continue to change. Huerfano County has eased the evacuation order in the Libre area, moving residents there to pre-evacuation status, but other areas remain under evacuation or restricted access. Officials continue to urge residents to follow county guidance and check official evacuation maps before returning.
The fire is not over, but this update brings some much-needed hope. Containment has increased, more families are beginning the difficult journey home, and firefighters continue to work around the clock to protect Rye, San Isabel, Beulah, and the surrounding mountain communities.
The Loss at Pueblo Mountain Park
One of the most heartbreaking losses for many of us is the damage to beloved Pueblo Mountain Park. Tucked into Beulah Valley about 30 miles west of Pueblo, the park has long been a peaceful mountain refuge for hiking, wildlife watching, family gatherings, retreats, weddings, school trips, and quiet days under the pines.
Pueblo Mountain Park has been part of Southern Colorado’s story for more than a century. The City of Pueblo purchased roughly 600 acres near Beulah to create the park, and later Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Work Projects Administration (WPA) crews helped build many of the historic features people came to love, including the Horseshoe Lodge, pavilion, and stonework throughout the park.
Sadly, officials and local reporting confirmed that the historic Horseshoe Lodge burned in the Aspen Acres Fire. For generations, that lodge was more than a building. It was a gathering place, a retreat center, a memory keeper, and part of the heart of the mountain park.
The loss of Pueblo Mountain Park is difficult to put into words. So many people found peace there among the trees, trails, wildflowers, birds, and quiet mountain air. Like Beulah itself, the park held memories for families across Southern Colorado. Its loss is not just physical; it is emotional, historical, and deeply personal.
Still, I believe places like this carry a spirit that fire cannot fully take. The trails, the land, the memories, and the people who love Pueblo Mountain Park will remain part of Beulah’s story. In time, I pray there will be healing, restoration, and a way for this treasured place to welcome people back again.
Tonight, my prayers remain with every family displaced by this fire, every person returning to loss, every firefighter on the line, and every neighbor helping another neighbor through the ashes.
May the winds stay calm.
May the firefighters be protected.
May the families still waiting be brought home safely.
May those who lost so much be surrounded with love.
And may Beulah and all of Southern Colorado rise again, strong and steady.
Colorado strong ❤️
Monetary Donations: Can be sent to the United Way Southern Colorado.
Works Cited
Benzel, Lance. “Aspen Acres Fire Surpasses 100,000 Acres as Crews Increase Containment to
More than 60%.” The Colorado Sun, 18 July 2026.
Chalfin, Andrea, and Briana Heaney. “Aspen Acres Fire: Evacuation Notices Expand as Fire
Grows to More than 50,000 Acres.” Colorado Public Radio, 2 July 2026.
“Pueblo Mountain Park.” City of Pueblo, Pueblo County Historical Society and State Historical
Fund.
“Pueblo Mountain Park Marks 100 Years.” Colorado Public Radio, 15 January 2020.
Sintas, Tyson, Aspen Andrews, Bryce Patterson, Aaron Vitatoe, and Lindsey Grewe. “‘Aspen
Acres Fire’ Holds Steady at Just over 100K Acres, 61 Percent Containment as More Evacuees
Allowed Home.” KKTV 11 News, 29 June 2026, updated 18 July 2026.