Images from a fixed-wing aircraft captured on Sept. 1, 2024, and July 5, 2026, show a neighborhood off of Old San Isabel Road in Rye, Colorado, before and after the Aspen Acres fire. (Photos courtesy of Vexcel Data) " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newspack-coloradosun.s3.ama...
Smoke from the Aspen Acres fire billows skyward near Colorado City on July 2, 2026. The fire that ignited June 29 has burned more than 100,000 acres and destroyed hundreds of structures. (Mike Sweeney, Special to The Colorado Sun) " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newspack-col...
A Skycrane lifts off with its 2,650-gallon payload of water in Beulah July 10, 2026. The helicopter is part of a fleet aircraft enlisted to fight the Aspen Acres fire. It’s able to fill its tank via a draft hose in less than a minute. (Mike Sweeney, Special to The Colorado Sun) "...
Debris and mud deposited by flash floods along Highway 78 near Beulah are shown in this July 29, 2026 photo. Runoff from thunderstorms that might have been normally mitigated by healthy forest inundated creeks in the area due to the impact of the Aspen Acres fire. (Mike Sweeney, ...
Debris and mud deposited by flash floods along Highway 78 near Beulah are shown in this July 29, 2026 photo. Runoff from thunderstorms that might have been normally mitigated by healthy forest inundated creeks in the area due to the impact of the Aspen Acres fire. (Mike Sweeney/S...
Layers of aspen trees, with some leaves still turning from green to gold fill a hillside below Snodgrass mountain near Gothic, Colorado on September 23, 2025. (Dean Krakel, Special to The Colorado Sun) " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newspack-coloradosun.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-...
affordable housing, nimby, bighorn sheep, winter, habitat, wildlife, aspen trees " data-image-caption=" Aspen habitat in East Vail has supported bighorn sheep and other species, shown in 2022. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun) " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newspack-coloradosu...
The Entrance to Aspen reevaluation — which currently includes public input received to date, project constraints, ongoing environmental review efforts and emerging tradeoffs — is positioned to advance to a refined Preferred Alternative improving corridor performance and emergency...
After a hot start to the wildfire season across Colorado, wildland firefighters and emergency managers in the mountains are hoping that monsoonal rains might give them room to breathe. But Red, White & Blue Wildfire Division Chief Matt Benedict said personnel aren’t letting their...
The Aspen Fire Protection District has launched a series of wildfire risk reduction projects across the Aspen area in collaboration with a broad coalition of public and private partners. For Aspen Fire Department Fire Chief Jake Andersen, there is no time like the present for the...
The Aspen Police Department is working to discontinue its contract with Flock Safety, confirming it will not be utilizing automated license plate reader technology within the city of Aspen. According to Police Chief Kim Ferber, members of the police department are currently discu...
Firefighters monitor the Aspen Acres Fire near Colorado City, Colo., as it begins to grow late on Thursday, July 2, 2026. (Michael Seamans/The Gazette via AP) " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newspack-coloradosun.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/AP26184092210492-sc...
The Fishhook Fire, which spread to 309 acres, has reached 89% containment as of Thursday morning, up significantly from the 58% containment reported Wednesday , according to an update from the Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1. “Firefighters have established significant c...
The Aspen Fire Protection District, in partnership with the Aspen Wildfire Foundation, has announced that OroraTech satellite wildfire detection is now fully operational throughout the Aspen Fire Protection District and the extended Lincoln Creek Valley, in areas that have histor...
All pre-evacuations have been lifted after the Hartman Hill Fire burned 26 acres near the Grand and Eagle County line. Fire crews were able to establish 100% containment following Wednesday’s operational period. Fire personnel will remain on scene for the next two days monitoring...
The U.S. Forest Service has the ability to implement Stage 3 fire restrictions — which ban federal lands to all public entry — but has only done so once in Colorado. Amid a historic drought and extreme wildfire danger, Colorado mountain communities have spent weeks under Stage 2 ...
The U.S. Forest Service has the ability to implement Stage 3 fire restrictions — which ban federal lands to all public entry — but has only done so once in Colorado. Amid a historic drought and extreme wildfire danger, Colorado mountain communities have spent weeks under Stage 2 ...
The Aspen Acres fire smolders in the Wet Mountains on July 6, 2026, near Rye, Colo. (Mike Sweeney, Special to The Colorado Sun) " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newspack-coloradosun.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Colo_Sun_Aspen_Acres_July_5-copy.jpg?fit=780%2C461...
According to the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, crews are currently responding to a fire near Blue Hill off Cottonwood Pass at the Eagle County borderline with Garfield County. The size of the fire is unknown; however as of 7:30 p.m. the sheriff’s office gave this update on its F...
A shelter-in-place order was issued for part of New Castle early Wednesday after a person reportedly fired a gun outside a home near Cathedral Court. The incident occurred shortly after midnight in the Castle Valley neighborhood, according to the New Castle Police Department. A r...
Federal firefighting resources are being stretched thin as dozens of major wildfires burn across the U.S., including more than a half dozen in Colorado . The National Interagency Fire Center has upped its preparedness level to 5 — the highest level — indicating that “national res...
A plane drops a load of water on the Aspen Acres Fire near Colorado City, Colo., on Thursday, July 2, 2026. (Michael Seamans/The Gazette via AP) " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newspack-coloradosun.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/AP26184092213951-scaled.jpg?fit=7...
The Aspen Wildfire Foundation’s annual fundraising gala, An Evening of Embers & Elegance, has been rescheduled to Friday, Aug. 14, after an unforeseen permitting issue has prevented the event from being held at the Aspen Fire Station on its originally scheduled date. The Foundati...
Robert McDonough — The proposed Woody Creek racetrack expansion is out of scale with our community. The proposed...
Interstate 70 is closed in both directions between Silt and New Castle due to flooding, according to the Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority. The closure stretches from mile marker 97 to mile marker 105. Standing water and mud have also been reported on Highway 6. ...
Update, 11:22 p.m. Monday: Interstate 70 reopened in both directions between Silt and New Castle around 11:22 p.m. Monday after flooding forced a closure, according to the Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority. The interstate had been closed between mile markers 97 a...
Update, 6:29 a.m. Wednesday: Eastbound Interstate 70 has reopened between mile markers 97 and 105, with traffic limited to the left lane, according to the Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority. Westbound I-70 remains closed through the area. Highway 6 was open in bot...
Mountain Rescue Aspen successfully rescued an overdue hiker from Maroon Peak on Thursday night into Friday morning. According to a press release, the Pitkin County Regional Emergency Dispatch Center received a satellite text message at approximately 7:39 p.m., reporting an overdu...
Firefighters over the weekend were able to contain four wildfires ignited by lightning in the White River National Forest, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The four fires — the Boiler Creek Fire in the Rifle Ranger District, the Bear Wallow Fire also in the Rifle Ranger Dist...
On average, it takes five to seven minutes for Eagle County Paramedics to arrive on the scene of an emergency, according to Starting Hearts Director of Business Development, Jackie Christiansen. For cardiac arrest victims, brain damage starts on minute four, she said. That’s why ...
As wildfires burn across the state, Colorado Search and Rescue state coordinator Trevin Montano thinks there are a few things that anyone recreating in the mountains this summer should know. Montano, a volunteer search-and-rescue member who also works as a wildland firefighter, k...
Years of drought, rising temperatures and increasing fuel loads have left Garfield County and the Middle Colorado River watershed among the most vulnerable areas in Colorado to wildfire risk. The Middle Colorado Watershed Council (MCWC), through its Colorado River Wildfire Collab...
Eagle County fire resources responded to a small wildfire Sunday night in Grand County near the Trough Road on the Eagle County-Grand County border. The fire prompted evacuation orders for homes in that area in Grand County, with Kremmling Fire Protection District, Grand County S...
Brooke Stott has been the fire marshall for Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Authority since April, and she has plans for expanding the fire department’s capabilities in her new role — particularly with wildfire management and public education. Stott was formerly the deputy fire marshall...
Rifle police are investigating an early-morning burglary at Timberline Sporting Goods in which four handguns were stolen Monday. A resident reported hearing breaking glass near East 26th Street and Colorado Highway 13 at about 5:12 a.m., according to a Rifle Police Department new...
With several recent fires burning across Colorado, it has been a sobering summer for all of us. Combined with this year’s drought, the heightened wildfire risk has many residents thinking about emergency preparedness. While most families have thought about what they would do if a...
A home along South Pine Drive burned to its foundation in the Aspen Acres fire is shown in this July 10, 2026 photo. A private aerial imagery company has estimated 780 structures have been lost across Pueblo and Custer counties in the fire, including a number of homes in Beulah a...
Although the Aspen Acres fire is burning around 150 miles away from Summit County, firefighters from Summit Fire & EMS and the Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District have been on the scene, working to contain what is now the seventh largest fire in Colorado’s history . The cr...
The Fishhook Fire’s footprint has been adjusted to 340 acres and is 8% contained as of Monday morning, according to an update from the Southwest Area Management Team 1, which took over command of the fire response early Friday. The modified size, down slightly from the 347 acres ...
If placed on ballot, measure would nearly double city property taxes
At a Thursday worksession, Glenwood Springs City Manager Steve Boyd talks to city council members about a potential new property tax to fund fire and emergency medical services....
The Glenwood Springs Fire Department and its EMS services cover about 16,000 residents over 72 square miles.
“Situational awareness” is something we teach all firefighters. In my family of firefighters, we were taught early that the land speaks.
Celebrated live-fire grill master Jack Arnold will showcase his expertise at “BBQ Bash at West End Social,” a casual drop-in event from 2 to 7 p.m. Aug. 8 at 845 Meadows Road. Bold flavors, fresh mountain air and a curated playlist will set the tone. The international barbecue ev...
The Pine Drive Water District samples around underground tanks and above-ground piping to assess damage from the Aspen Acres fire. (Pine Drive Water District, Contributed) " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newspack-coloradosun.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Beulah...
Rain fell across parts of the state Friday, bringing mixed results for Gold Mountain, Ferris, Willow, Fishhook and Elk fires.
Willow Fire was 36% contained as of Friday
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Wildfires continued to ignite and burn across Colorado this week as widespread drought continues to plague the state. The Colorado Wildland Fire Status Dashboard showed seven large fires and a total of 28 active fires that had burned around 214,000 acres as of Friday afternoon...
With the Willow Fire currently holding steady at roughly 6,800 acres and 40% containment, the Leadville Race Series announced on Wednesday plans to move forward with its final four events of the summer, including the Leadville Trail 100 MTB and Run. “The smoke is lifting and t...
The state's largest currently burning wildfire remains active near the communities of Rye and San Isabel. Plus: Updates on Gold Mountain, Ferris, Willow, Fishhook and Elk fires....
I’ll be heading up to the Flat Tops once again this year on Aug. 12. It’s a date that is forever etched in my mind. I have driven up there on that date each of the past three summers just to go for a run, stop by my brother’s land to get some firewood and reminisce about days gon...
Response teams for the Willow, Aspen Acres and Ferris fires say they’re not running into issues finding water to fight fires. Here’s how they do it.
Lawsuit: Injured bicyclist sues e-bicyclist who declined to provide name on scene
A cyclist rides on the Rio Grande Trail near Wheatley Open Space on Thursday, in the vicinity of the July 4, 2024, bicycle accident that is now part of ongoing litigation....
Property owners allege the power company should have cleared trees and organic matter than fueled the nearly 100,000-acre blaze
As wildfires burn across Colorado, homeowners whose properties are at risk — or have been destroyed — must navigate a complex insurance system. The Aspen Acres Fire, currently the seventh-largest in state history, has burned more than 99,000 acres across Pueblo and Custer cou...
The Fishhook Fire, located 1.5 miles north of U.S. Highway 40 just southeast of Steamboat Ski Resort, has spread to 347 acres and is 0% contained as of 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, according to Routt National Forest Service Public Affairs Specialist Aaron Voos. Voos told newspaper s...
The proposed expansion of the Woody Creek racetrack into a 10-car racetrack and shooting range poses a direct threat to Woody Creek’s way of life. While the project is located on one property, its impacts, including increased noise, fire danger, water usage, traffic, light pollut...
The fire, the largest currently burning in the state, was estimated at 99,820 acres. Plus: updates on the Gold Mountain, Willow, Ferris, Fishhook, Green Ridge and Elk fires....
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Recent coverage curated from local and regional sources.
AUTHOR’S EXPLICIT WARNING: If reading about diarrhea makes you squeamish, stop reading now. Seriously. Oh, what a joyride 2026’s been so far…
The Fishhook Fire, which spread to 309 acres, has reached 89% containment as of Thursday morning, up significantly from the 58% containment …
After several appearances in the Roaring Fork Valley, comedian Sammy Anzer returns to Basalt for his first local headlining show at 8 p.m. A…
The Aspen Fire Protection District, in partnership with the Aspen Wildfire Foundation, has announced that OroraTech satellite wildfire detec…
Aspen City Council expressed support this week for the Wheeler Opera House formally developing Aspen Laugh Festival programming beyond the w…
ASPEN CYCLING CLUB — WEEKLY RACE RESULTS GOVERNMENT MTB RACE Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Men’s A (9.96 miles and 1479 vertical) 1—0:54:29—Hart,…
Protesters lined Grand Avenue on Wednesday to rally against potential development at Sweetwater Lake, just blocks from the Glenwood Springs …
Fourth-generation Olathe farmer Randy Friend stopped his pickup truck next to a row of corn whose green leaves were limp and curling, with a…
I’m not drinking enough rosé these days. By that I mean, of the wines I have been drinking lately, there is not enough delightfully dry, bra…
All pre-evacuations have been lifted after the Hartman Hill Fire burned 26 acres near the Grand and Eagle County line. Fire crews were able …
Colorado’s nascent gray wolf population is growing. In addition to the formation of a new pack — the Piney Ridge Pack in Eagle County — Colo…
Headliners at the Aspen Music Festival next week include crowd-pleasing and always eloquent pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang. Both…
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