Gold Camp Road in North Cheyenne Cañon Park reopens

Levette Sanchez

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — According to Colorado Springs Recreation and Cultural Services, Gold Camp Road will reopen to the public starting Thursday, July 2.

This follows the massive cleanup and repair work on the road after storm damage from early June. The work included removing storm debris, repairing the road, and installing fresh roadway crossing markings and crossing signs, according to the city.

The city says it will continue work on the park’s stone retaining walls.

As for the Fourth of July, North Cheyenne Cañon Park will be open to vehicle traffic until 2 p.m. or until the park reaches capacity. The city says Gold Camp Road will be closed at this time to help manage visitor safety and traffic.

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PPLD creates fun 4th of July activity that’s safe during fire bans

Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) programming department created a new craft to help people get decorative with their 4th of July celebrations.

PPLD Senior Library Associate in Programming, Bradley Butzin, will walk participants through his original marbling technique to create unique American Flag decorations. The class is no-cost to participants.

For programs like this one, PPLD adds a literacy component to highlight resources offered by the library. For this class, Butzin will help participants use the library’s databases and research tools to learn more about the history of the American Flag.

Wednesday’s class is full, but there is a waitlist. He will also host more flag marbling classes throughout the Summer. He created printable step-by-step instructions for families to make the flag at home. You can find that here.

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Day 3 of Aspen Acres Fire in Pueblo County expected to bring more red flag conditions

Scott Harrison

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Firefighters are hoping for some level of containment Wednesday on the wildfire that grew far less on Tuesday than when it erupted on Monday.

LATEST FIRE STATS & EVAC ORDERS: https://krdo.com/news/2026/07/06/aspen-acres-wildfire-updates-evacuations/

Authorities revealed on Tuesday that the fire has grown from 23,000 acres to more than 28,000 as of 3 p.m., with containment at 0%.

But firefighters expect another day of red flag conditions that will bring temperatures in the 90s, with strong winds and a continued high fire risk.

KRDO 13 has a crew roughly halfway between Beulah and Colorado City, at the three-way intersection of Burnt Mill Road, 3R Road and Crow Cutoff.

That’s where a checkpoint remains in place by the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, and where fire crews are gaining access to the fire via 3R Road.

On Tuesday, the fire was moving in two directions: west and north; as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, a smoke plume re-formed on the west end where the fire burned previously.

KRDO 13 spoke with a property owner who decided against evacuating, and said that strong winds blew some of the flames past his home — a home he’s had for ten years, and now hopes to sell it.

Monday’s strong winds, which prevented the use of aerial resources, subsided enough on Tuesday to allow two planes to drop retardant on the fire.

There were some new evacuations in the area on Tuesday, and only property owners with livestock could opt to remain.

The air was fairly thick with smoke at dawn on Wednesday, obscuring the full moon and turning the rising sun to a deep red.

Late Tuesday night, the Custer County Sheriff’s Office announced that the official investigation into the fire’s cause has begun and will be conducted by the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado Department of Public Safety.

The office also said that crews expected to finish building a temporary bridge late Tuesday night to replace a century-old Colorado Department of Transportation bridge that burned and collapsed during the fire.

KRDO 13 will provide updates as they become available.

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FEMA disaster funding approved for Aspen Acres Fire in Pueblo County

Scott Harrison

COLORADO CITY, Colo. (KRDO) — In a wildfire that grew from two acres to 23,000 in one day, firefighters battling the Aspen Acres Fire will take any help they can get.

And they got more of it on Monday evening.

That’s when FEMA — the Federal Emergency Management Agency — approved federal funding for 75% of firefighting costs.

The funding will cover the management, mitigation, and control of the fire.

However, FEMA funds don’t provide assistance to individual home or business owners, nor do they cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

It’s unclear how many homes, structures, or other property may have been damaged or destroyed by the fire.

FEMA’s authorization of disaster funds may come as a surprise to many state leaders after President Trump — in what was widely considered a political move — denied disaster funding for two wildfires earlier this year.

There was another positive sign on Tuesday, as two planes began dropping flame retardant on the fire; however, crews had only a few hours before winds intensified again.

Although winds were considerably calmer on Tuesday, the fire continued to spread quickly — burning between Colorado City and north of Beulah, and creating two large plumes.

Meanwhile, in Colorado City, smoke cleared considerably, and people there hoped the worst was over.

“I’m packed and ready to go,” said Sandra Yant, a resident. “Oh, I was scared. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know what to do. Because I’ve never been this close to anything like this before.”

Stan Woods, who was visiting Colorado City, expressed sympathy for fire evacuees.

“God bless ’em,” he said. “Hopefully, their homes are not affected, and everything turns out great for ’em. It’s a terrible thing. It’s Colorado wildfires.”

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The Nuggets introduce their draft picks to Nuggets Nation

Rob Namnoum

The NBA curtain has been pulled open for the new Nuggets, Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins, “We identified these guys early. They both bring something unique energy, effort,” says Nuggets Executive Vice President of Player Personnel, Jonathan Wallace.

They were selected in the second round but the Nuggets brass believes they are first round talent, “I know I can bring, you know, a lot of energy, and defense,” says Trevon Brazile.

Bryce Hopkins added, “Be yourself. Be authentic.”

These energizer bunnies were taken because of their team first attitude.

“I love to win. I love to compete,” says Brazile.

Bryce Hopkins played for the ultimate competitor at St. John’s in head coach Rick Pitino, were losing wasn’t an option, “You know, it’s not a fun environment to be, around, you know, Coach Pitino, when we lose, there was kind of a fear for us to lose,” says Hopkins.

Or it sounds like any day playing for Pitino, “I remember there was a time in practice, I think I missed a boxing, assignment. I remember you told me, you’re not that effing good. There were coach guys like Donovan Mitchell. So, you know, just being in that environment every day pushed me to be the best player I could possibly be,” says Hopkins

Trevon Brazile put guys on posters in college. He still remembers the first time he ever dunked, “First dunk man. Maybe freshman year of high school I hit like a late growth spurt. So probably a freshman in high school,” says Brazile.

The Nuggets brass is hoping that during their freshman year in the NBA they will have an impact, “Both these guys have unique ability to change the game on both ends of the floor. You know, they’ll they’ll be able to fill the gap for us,” says Wallace.

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Aspen Acres fire estimated 100,000+ acres burned, over 800 structures lost

Abby Smith

CUSTER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Officials confirm that the Aspen Acres fire has burned approximately 102,004 acres with 72% containment as of 9 a.m. on Aug. 12.

According to the Alaska Incident Management Team, the number of structures lost is believed to be around 850 as of the morning of July 10.

The Custer County Sheriff’s Office announced that as of 7 p.m. on Aug. 7, Highways 165 and 78 were reopened, and pre-evacuations were lifted for zones C1, C2 and FS5. Officials say the national forest, and all forest roads, are still closed, including Lake Isabel.

Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) announced on July 24 that the Pueblo County Evacuation Center at 1650 Cooper Place is closing operations at 5 p.m. The center will remain on standby in case it needs to reopen, according to officials.

On July 23, the Custer County Sheriff’s Office said it expected the San Isabel area to reopen Friday, July 24, but warned residents that there was no cell service or power in the area. Officials said the area will remain on pre-evacuation and residents should prepare to leave if necessary.

PCSO announced it expected evacuation orders to be lifted for the town of Rye starting Thursday, July 23. Officials say the areas would remain on pre-evacuation notice. Colorado City is expected to be taken off of pre-evacuation notice at the same time.

On July 17, officials confirmed that at least 241 homes/commerical properties have been lost in Pueblo County. PCSO says 208 are in Beulah, 28 in Rye, 2 in Colorado City, and 3 in unincorporated Pueblo County.

At least 85 homes in Custer County have also been lost, according to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.

Find the latest Aspen Acres wildfire containment status and evacuation orders here → 

Mandatory Evacuations:

Click here for a map showing evacuation status.

Places in the blue boxes are in pre-evacuation status.

Pre-evacuations:

Click here for more locations. Places in the blue boxes are under pre-evacuation status.

Lifted evacuations:

West of I-25, North of Cummings St., East of S. Crow Cutoff, East of Haynes Rd and South of Jerry Bass Lane.

Fremont County locations have been placed on awareness status.

On July 13, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office downgraded zones under pre-evacuation status to awareness status.

Zone FS-5 in Pueblo County

Road Closures:

For the most accurate updates on road closures from the Colorado Department of Transportation, please visit https://www.cotrip.org/home

Evacuation shelters:

Custer County: Lange Hall

Lange South 3rd Street, Westcliffe, CO, 81252

Custer County: Pathfinder Park

Pathfinder Regional Park, Colorado 115, Florence, CO 81226

Large Animals:

Colorado State Fairgrounds.

Enter on Gate 7 westbound on Small Ave.

Anyone with livestock may park their RVs at the Colorado State Fairgrounds. Check-in will be required at Gate 7.

Trucks and trailers are staged at the Colorado State Fairgrounds for livestock evacuation needs. Please contact the Pueblo CART Livestock Division — Community Animal Response Team at 719-251-0245.

If you’d wish to volunteer and help the Pueblo CART Livestock Division, please fill out this form: Volunteer Sheet for Pueblo CART Livestock – Aspen Acres Fire

Custer County Residents:

If you’re a Custer County resident looking for information on your impacted area, please call Custer County’s Non-Emergency number at 719-792-6411.

Donations:

If you want to help or need assistance from CART, please call these phone numbers: CART needs grass hay and senior horse grain at the State Fair grounds (gate 7)

Donations: 719-850-2139

Volunteers: 719-340-0772

Rescue Needs: 719-251-0245

For those wishing to donate prepared food, contact our Joint Information Center (719-583-4640) to coordinate.

United Way of Southern Colorado is accepting donations at the Resource Assistance Center at 2670 Delphinium St. in Pueblo starting Tuesday, July 28.

Donation information with United Way of Southern Colorado 719-225-8580; 1591 Taos Rd., Building D, is open from 7 AM – 7 PM as of Friday, July 3rd.

Visit www.unitedwaysoco.org/emergencyinfo to donate, view the current list of needed items, and learn more.

Clothing donations are not needed at this time.

Pathfinder Park (Fremont County), 6639 HWY 115, Florence, Colorado

719-618-8731

Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region: visit the link to make a monetary donation, view the current list of needed items, and learn more here at https://www.hsppr.org/resources/aspenacresfire/

Disaster Survivor Portal:

This Entry form will ask you about damages to your property, as well as what needs have come up for you post-disaster.

Re-entry resources:

Here’s a PDF to learn more about what the D.A.C. can help you out with: Aspen Acres Fire DAC

Returning Home After a Fire Checklist

Food Safety After a Fire

Facts about livestock disposal following a fire

Bottle Water Advisory

Pine Drive

Signal Mountain

Air Quality and Outdoor Activity Guidance

Cleanup Guidance and Assistance

VOAD Clean-up Hotline 970-283-7325

PPE and Respiratory Protection

PCSO released the following drone video showing the Pine Drive area in Beulah following the fire:

This article will be updated.

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Speed enforcement cameras to go online Tuesday in Pueblo’s Interstate 25 bridge construction work zone

Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — Increased speed enforcement begins Tuesday on I-25 through the project in which crews are replacing five bridges at the US 50 East interchange.

But you won’t see law enforcement officers on duty there.

Instead, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has installed four sets of cameras to monitor speeds along a stretch of nearly two miles between 13th and 29th Streets.

CDOT says speeding is “an issue” in the zone but couldn’t provide specific numbers on how often it occurs.

The agency said that the Pueblo Police Department, not the Colorado State Patrol, has been conducting speed enforcement in the zone, and the only available data is that officers issued 20 speeding tickets from February through May.

However, CDOT said that because of the narrow and changing work zone, there are no safe areas for officers to monitor traffic speeds and pull over violators.

The cameras don’t work like red light cameras on city streets, which activate when drivers run a red light.

Instead, the cameras will monitor all traffic through the zone by recording license plate numbers, and determining a vehicle’s average speed through the zone.

The first month will be a grace period during which violators will receive warnings in the mail; after that, speeders will receive $75 citations.

CDOT said that the cameras will remain in operation only for the remainder of the construction period, which is scheduled to end next summer.

The agency also said that it has used the cameras in other work zones and is satisfied with their operation.

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Evacuations lifted for fire in Fremont County

Michael Logerwell

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office has lifted evacuations for homes near a brush fire. As of 6:40 p.m. Monday night, the fire had grown to 102 acres with 0% containment.

The sheriff’s office ordered evacuations around 7:30 p.m. Sunday night for the 1.25-mile radius around High Park Rd and County Rd 352A in a post on social media.

The shelter at Pathfinder Park is now closed. Officials say “Residents who were evacuated due to the Aspen Acres Fire should refer to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office,” for more information.

The Canon City Fire Protection District says the so-called “11 Fire” is visible from parts of Canon City and is asking people not to call 9-1-1 about the smoke, as there are already multiple fire engines fighting the fire.

The Cañon City Police Department said it did not have any further updates as of early Monday morning and does not know the level of containment.

KRDO13 will continue to update this report.

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UPDATE: Manitou Springs lifts emergency water restrictions

Michael Logerwell

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Manitou Springs is lifting emergency water restrictions.

Just after 5:30 P.M. on Sunday, city officials announced that one of the two water main breaks had been mended, adding that the water supply is stable.

Repair crews are still working on the second water main break at Manitou Avenue and Tyler Street.

Despite the lifting of emergency water restrictions, the City of Manitou Springs is still asking people to conserve water until all the water main repairs are finalized.

Original Report: Manitou Springs City Officials are urging businesses and residents to use as little water as possible on Sunday.

The reason is not drought conditions, but two water main breaks.

The city says the breaks are near Manitou Ave. and El Monte Pl.

Several areas of the city, including the Ruxton corridor, have had their water shut off altogether while crews work to mend the break.

The breaks were first announced by the city at 11:48 A.M. and less than an hour later, the city reported that the City’s water storage system is showing early signs of stabilization.

At this time, the city says they estimate the breaks will be fixed in 24 hours. In that time frame, the city warns residents that they could experience temporary, intermittent water outages.

After water is restored, you might see some water discoloration. If that happens, city officials suggest residents run cold water from the bathtub or the lowest faucet in your home until the water runs clear.

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UPDATE: Shelter in Place LIFTED in neighborhood near U.S. Olympic Paralympic Training Center

Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – UPDATE: The shelter-in-place is lifted.

Colorado Springs Police say the shelter-in-place was activated because they believed a possible suspect in a shooting was seen in the area.

Police say the shooting happened on Sunset Road just after 2:00 P.M. on Saturday. Two people were shot and taken to the hospital. The police department describes their injuries as serious but non-life-threatening. The spot where the shooting happened is less than half a mile from where the shelter-in-place went into effect.

Just about an hour later, police say they received information that a potential suspect in that shooting was in the area of 300 Iowa Ave. That’s what led to the large police presence and shelter-in-place.

No arrests have been announced. Police have not said if that information was accurate.

KRDO13 will continue to update this story.

ORIGINAL REPORT: The Colorado Springs Police Department has issued a shelter-in-place notice for people between N Union Blvd and Prairie Rd.

Map from Peak Alerts.

Peak Alerts says the shelter-in-place is for the area from E Willamette Ave to E Monument St between Swope Ave and Prairie Rd. The cause for the shelter-in-place is “law enforcement activity.” Residents in the area are being asked to stay away from doors and windows.

KRDO13 will update this story when more information becomes available.

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