The latest wildfire coverage from across Colorado.
The Aspen Acres Fire's smoke plume rises over homes in Pueblo West on June 29, 2026, with power lines in the foreground. The fire and the Gold Mountain Fire, and flooding in their burn areas, are the disasters behind the SBA loan declaration issued this week.
The Small Business Administration issued declaration CO-20032 on Oct. 14 for homeowners, renters and businesses in Custer and Pueblo counties, the fire-scarred counties where FEMA denied individual assistance last month.
A state origin report obtained through an open records request says an aspen tree blown onto energized conductors west of Highway 165 ignited the fire that destroyed 324 homes.
The Dec. 30, 2021 fire killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 buildings. This year, Xcel settled a major lawsuit just before trial as the fifth anniversary approaches.
