There is finally some hopeful news in the middle of this long and heartbreaking fire. As of Monday morning, July 13, the Aspen Acres Fire has burned 98,609 acres and is now 36% contained, with 1,915 personnel working the fire. Firefighters continue to strengthen containment lines, put out hot spots, and protect the communities still in harm’s way.
The biggest news is that phased re-entry is beginning for many Beulah residents. Those allowed to return must have a re-entry card or photo ID with proof of residency, and officials continue to remind everyone to check the evacuation map and follow all local instructions before heading back. Even for those returning, this is not a simple homecoming. Many will be going back to smoke, ash, damage, uncertainty, and the painful first look at what the fire has taken.
Some evacuation areas have been downgraded to pre-evacuation, including Colorado City, Signal Mountain, 3R Road, and several areas near Lake Beckwith and Highway 165. Fremont County has also moved all evacuation areas there to pre-evacuation status, but officials warn that conditions can still change quickly because this remains an active fire.
Beulah, Rye, San Isabel, parts of Wetmore, Aspen Acres, South Pine Drive, North Creek, Lazy Acres, Bishop’s Castle, and other affected areas are still listed under evacuation, so residents should not return unless they are officially cleared. Rye residents, in particular, are being asked to wait longer before returning.
The losses are still difficult to comprehend. Beulah Fire Protection and Ambulance District confirmed the loss of 193 primary residences, and officials have reported hundreds of homes and structures lost across Pueblo and Custer counties. Behind every number is someone’s home, their photographs, their porches, their barns, and the quiet pieces of daily life that cannot be replaced.
Still, today brings a small step toward home. Not an end to the fire. Not an end to the grief. But a step. And for a community that has waited, worried, prayed, and watched the smoke rise over the mountains, that step matters.
Today, I am praying for every family returning home, every family who has no home to return to, every firefighter still on the line, and every animal and neighbor affected by this fire.
May the winds stay calm.
May the rain come gently.
May the firefighters be protected.
May those returning home find strength for what waits ahead.
And may Beulah rise again, held by the love of all who call her home.
Colorado strong ❤️
Monetary Donations: Can be sent to the United Way Southern Colorado.
Works Cited
Hulting, Aidan, Ashleigh Quintana, and James Gavato. “More Evacuations Downgraded to Pre-
Evacs, Aspen Acres Fire 36% Contained.” KOAA News5, 13 July 2026.
Villegas, Andrew. “Aspen Acres Fire: Officials Prepare to Let Beulah Residents Return as Fire
Growth Slows.” Colorado Public Radio, 12 July 2026.
