More residents displaced by the Aspen Acres fire will be allowed to return home Monday as firefighters continued to strengthen containment lines and guard against flare-ups ahead of another day of hot, dry weather.
More than 15,700 Coloradans were still under mandatory evacuations from wildfires, mostly from the Aspen Acres fire in Pueblo and Custer counties, as of Monday, according to the governor’s office.
Some residents in Custer County were allowed to return to their homes under a pre-evacuation status as the 100,756-acre fire remains 61% contained.
Higher temperatures and lower humidity levels Monday paired with stronger easterly winds will create “near-critical” fire conditions, fire managers with the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team No. 6 said in a morning update.
The fire, which started three weeks ago, could see increased activity in areas with dead spruce trees, fire managers said, especially along slopes where the terrain and wind work together to accelerate the fire’s spread.
Hartman Hill fire
The state’s multimission aircraft flew over the Hartman Hill fire in Grand County and estimated the fire at 26 acres — a decrease from a pilot’s estimate Sunday night, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said Monday morning.
State, federal and local resources are fighting the fire and using aircraft when available and when necessary, the sheriff’s office said.
Pre-evacuation orders were in effect as of Monday morning in parts of Grand County and Eagle County.
Big Gulch fire
The Big Gulch fire, which sparked Sunday northwest of Craig, grew to 1,600 acres Monday and is 0% contained, according to the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office. The fire is burning near Moffat County Road 3 and County Road 106 and the cause is unknown.
Crews with U.S. Wildland Fire Services are working alongside Moffat County’s wildland crews, Craig Fire Rescue.
The Yampa Valley Electric Association de-energized a portion of its power line due to the fire Sunday night, impacting about 30 people, but has since turned power back on, the company said.
Gold Mountain fire
Recent rain and lower temperatures have helped calm the Gold Mountain fire burning near Ouray by bringing moisture to soil and fine fuels, fire officials said. But significant rainfall is needed to alleviate logs and heavier fuels that remain “exceptionally dry.”
Moisture has now moved west, leaving warmer and drier conditions over the fire area. The fire could become more active as it continues to smolder, but the potential for large growth is gradually decreasing, the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 said.
Strong winds, lightning and brief, heavy rain are top safety concerns for crews fighting the 38,009-acre fire that remains 13% contained.
Over the weekend, a thunderstorm triggered at least three major mudslides on the Western Slope. The slides temporarily stranded 21 people, and some parts of East Portal Road were covered with 6 feet of boulders, rocks and mud. The road passes through forested areas burned by the 2025 South Rim fire in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
“Storms in the West can develop quickly,” fire managers warned Monday. As rain falls on burn scars, burned soil forces water and debris to move fast and create hazardous mudflow.
“Twelves inches of moving water can sweep away a vehicle and 6 inches can sweep away a person,” officials said.
Crews continue to fight the fire from the air, but an unauthorized drone flying over the fire area forced personnel to halt air operations, officials said. A temporary flight restriction over the burn area remains in place.
Ferris fire
Containment on the Ferris fire in Dolores County continues to increase as recent rainfall and higher humidity levels reduced fire activity, helping the crews that are securing the fire’s perimeter.
The fire is 89% contained as of Monday morning.
On Monday, the local San Juan Incident Management Team No. 8 resumed control of the 64,881-acre fire. Drones with infrared sensors will continue monitoring the fire, looking for pockets of heat. Crews will also be focusing on repairing areas that were damaged by firefighting operations.
Heavy rainfall caused flooding in the Bradfield Bridge Campground and more rain is expected, raising flooding concerns due to clogged and damaged culverts throughout the fire area, fire officials said.
Willow fire
About 90 people remain evacuated as the Willow fire continues to burn near Leadville. The fire was estimated at 7,181 acres as of Monday.
Crews are mopping up parts of the fire on the northeastern side, bringing containment up to 41%. On the north end of Colorado Gulch and east of Bald Eagle Mountain, firefighters are working to keep the fire inside containment lines.
Hotshot crews are making good progress in the Mount Massive Wilderness using techniques designed to extinguish fires with the least possible damage to the environment.
Thunderstorms are forecast for the area, but it’s not clear if storms will affect the fire’s activity. Fuels remain extremely dry.
On Sunday, the race director for the Leadville Trail 100 said the event’s August races — the MTB 100 and Run 100 — will still take place, though organizers plan to modify the courses. The iconic 100-mile races are known for traversing rugged, high-altitude terrain, beginning at 10,152 feet and climbing to elevations of roughly 12,500 feet.
“While the courses will look different, the same call for grit, guts, and determination is woven deep into the trail ahead,” Tamira Jenlink, the event manager, wrote in a letter posted to Facebook.
Fishhook fire
More accurate mapping shows the Fishhook fire burning 340 acres in Routt County, about 8 miles southeast of Steamboat Springs. It is considered 8% contained.
On Sunday, crews increased containment on the western flank by installing hoses and extinguishing hot pockets near the fire line, fire officials said. On the northern side, firefighters mostly saw flames inside the perimeter while helicopters dropped buckets of water.
A crew assigned to initial attack operations dispatched a Type 1 helicopter Sunday to a fire reported near Walden, but the aircraft was redirected after local firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control, Eli Pfoutz, operations section chief on the Fishhook fire in Routt County said in a Monday video briefing.
“It turned out being a campfire that was just outside the ring,” Pfoutz said of the cause.
Initial attack crews will be strategically staged Monday to help local crews if lightning from passing thunderstorms starts a new fire.
U.S. 40 remains open, but drivers should be aware of increased fire traffic.
Stage I fire restrictions are in place for the Routt National Forest, which includes national forest lands in Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt counties.
Elk fire
The Elk fire remained quiet Sunday, as personnel constructed a helispot north of the fire and identified a primary control line that will protect all structures in Lake City, fire managers said Monday morning.
The lightning-caused fire was estimated at 2,300 acres and 0% contained.
On Monday, helicopters will deliver hose, fittings and other supplies to the new helispot so crews can begin laying hose on the completed dozer line to Colorado 149. Crews will continue structure protection and building the control line north and west of Lake City.
Evacuations remain in effect in Hinsdale and Gunnison counties.
This is a developing story that will be updated.