What is the name and location of the wildfire?
As of July 18, 2026, the Aspen Acres Fire is burning across southern Colorado, primarily affecting the Custer, Pueblo, Fremont, and Huerfano regions. The fire is centered near the 100 Block of Silvercliffe Drive in Rye and continues to burn across portions of the Pike-San Isabel National Forest and surrounding communities (1).
Fire activity remains concentrated along the Colorado Highway 165 corridor between Lake Isabel and Colorado City, with ongoing suppression efforts protecting nearby communities and critical infrastructure.
Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?
The cities and areas affected by the Aspen Acres Fire include:
- Apache City area
- Beulah
- Bishops Castle
- Coal Creek
- Colorado City
- Galbeth Creek
- Lake Isabel
- Lazy Acres
- Locke Mountain subdivision
- Newlin Ridge subdivision
- Red Creek
- Rockvale
- Rye
- San Isabel
- Table Mountain area
- Wales Canyon
- Wetmore
What is the current containment status of the wildfire?
As of July 18, 2026, the Aspen Acres Fire has burned approximately 100,223.5 acres and is 61% contained.
Firefighters continue strengthening containment lines, extinguishing hot spots, conducting aerial reconnaissance with drones, and protecting communities along the western and northern portions of the fire. Crews remain focused on areas near North Muddy Creek, Saint Charles Peak, San Isabel, and Rye, where active fire behavior remains possible under hot, dry, and breezy weather conditions.
Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?
Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect across portions of Huerfano, Pueblo, Custer, and Fremont counties as firefighting operations continue.
Level 3 (Go) evacuation orders remain active for multiple zones in Huerfano, Pueblo, and Custer counties. Level 2 (Set) evacuation warnings remain in place for additional zones in Huerfano, Pueblo, and Custer counties, while Level 1 (Ready) alerts continue for several areas of Fremont, Custer, and Huerfano counties.
Authorities have lifted pre-evacuation status for the Beulah community, allowing residents to return home. However, non-residents are asked to avoid entering the area while recovery efforts continue. Residents in evacuation areas should continue monitoring official county emergency alerts and follow instructions from local emergency management agencies.
Emergency shelters remain available for displaced residents, including Lange Hall in Westcliffe, Pathfinder Park in Florence, and the Pueblo County Recreation Center in Pueblo. Large animals can be relocated to the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo.
How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?
Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
As of July 18, 2026, this fire is 61% contained.
