Some Colorado City residents return home after Aspen Acres Fire evacuations, thousands remain displaced
By Sarah Horbacewicz
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COLORADO (KCNC) — As firefighters continue making progress against the Aspen Acres Fire, some Colorado City residents were allowed back into their neighborhoods Monday after days of uncertainty. Others, however, remain under mandatory evacuation orders and are still waiting for permission to return home.
The Aspen Acres Fire has scorched more than 145 square miles southwest of Pueblo, that’s 93,916 acres, and as of 6 p.m. Tuesday is 16% contained. Fire officials believe at least 263 homes have been destroyed across Pueblo and Custer counties, while approximately 12,000 people have been forced to evacuate. Mandatory evacuation orders remain in place for residents across roughly half a dozen communities as crews continue battling the fire.
Near Colorado City, a National Guard checkpoint has become the gateway for residents hoping to return home.
Anyone entering a reopened area must first obtain a disaster assistance card, which verifies their address. This card is then used by the National Guard to verify that the resident lives in a neighborhood that has been deemed safe to access. National Guard members were checking each vehicle in Colorado City alongside other checkpoints.
Officials say residents who are still under evacuation orders can obtain a disaster assistance card now, allowing for a quicker return once their neighborhood is reopened.
Among those waiting in line on Monday was Lorenzo Duarte, who was finally able to return home after days of wondering what he would find.
“It’s been a rough one, not knowin’ whether I was gonna come home, and there was anything left,” Duarte said.
Before being allowed through the checkpoint, Duarte showed his disaster assistance card to National Guard personnel to verify his residence. He was getting ready to see his home for the first time since evacuating.
“I’m pretty sure our property’s still intact. So, we’ll know in the next five minutes,” Duarte said.
Not everyone waiting in line was able to return home.
Doug, who lives in a nearby area that remains under mandatory evacuation, said he hoped he would be allowed through but was instead told he would have to continue waiting.
“We’ve been camping out with my son down across the interstate, but it’s all good, we get by,” he said.
While reporting at the checkpoint, CBS Colorado also spoke with another resident who said his home sits about a mile outside the reopened area. Although he was not allowed to stay at home, officials escorted him into the evacuation zone so he could pick up insulin, which he said he urgently needed.
Others who were among the first residents allowed back on Monday are trying to return to their routines.
“I was staying at my house to make sure nobody robbed it. I just went back to work today,” said Wiatt.
Even after returning home, residents say they’re worried they could be forced to evacuate again if fire conditions worsen.
“It’s a nice community and stuff, it’s just it’s kind of sad, everything’s burned up now, so I’ll be looking at that for the rest of my life,” Wiatt said.
While the destruction left by the wildfire is visible across the Colorado City area, residents say they’ve also experienced an outpouring of support from their neighbors.
“The community’s been great,” Doug said.
“[First responders are] all angels, and they’ve all come from heaven,” another resident shared.
Residents waiting at the checkpoint said they were grateful for the National Guard members managing reentry and for the community support they’ve received as they navigate the uncertainty of what comes next.
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office says a 9 p.m. curfew remains in effect for the area checkpoints. PCSO says residents will receive automatic emergency notifications when their neighborhoods are cleared for reentry, but encourages residents to ensure they are signed up for local emergency alerts to ensure they receive that message, and urges residents to frequently check official social media posts. In the meantime, they encourage anyone under evacuation orders to obtain a disaster assistance card now, which will help speed up the process once access to their neighborhood is restored.
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