Gov. Jared Polis sent a request for federal aid Sunday for two of Colorado’s major wildfires this summer, hoping the Trump administration will end its pattern of withholding support for the state.
The Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires caused over $18 million in damage to public infrastructure, like electricity and water systems. They also led to damaging flooding and debris flows on the burn scars that claimed one life, the state’s request said.
But for the state to tap into aid programs under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, President Donald Trump would have to grant Colorado’s request. And Trump has a record of withholding funding from Colorado to punish the state for actions that didn’t align with his priorities.
“I don’t want to hazard a guess on what the chances (of success) are, but we’re making sure that we have a robust request and that we’ve met all the requirements,” said Kevin Klein, director of the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Polis and state officials have asked the federal government to declare the Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires to be a major disaster, which would acknowledge the scope of the damage and allow the state to tap into federal assistance programs.
These programs offer everything from money to legal assistance and debris removal. But federal aid programs come with requirements, and not every emergency qualifies. States also have to prove that responding to the fires is beyond state and local capabilities and that federal help is necessary.
Colorado’s request will need further recommendations by different federal officials before landing on the president’s desk. At that point, Trump would decide whether to declare a major disaster on his own timeline.
Since Aug. 1, 2025, Colorado has requested two major disaster declarations from Trump, for the Elk and Lee fires and the flooding in southwestern Colorado, both of which Trump denied. Colorado appealed, and the Trump administration denied the appeals in April.
In Colorado, families impacted by the fires and floods are focused on making it through, often frustrated by the limits and slow pace of government aid.
One water utility in Beulah, a small community burned over by the Aspen Acres fire, sent a plea for help to the Trump administration. The community is overwhelmed, said a local water official. They’re mourning losses while trying to navigate insurance claims and rebuild their lives while getting hit repeatedly by flash floods.
“Custer County citizens are extremely resilient and are adept at handling anything thrown their way,” Custer County Commissioner Lucas Epp said in the Colorado Governor’s Office’s news release Sunday. “However, this disaster showed us that fire behavior has changed and that the National Forests are out of our control for wildfire mitigation.”
Aspen Acres
The state requested assistance for public infrastructure and private residents impacted by the Aspen Acres fire in Pueblo and Custer counties. The state and federal officials tallied $17.2 million in damage to public works that would qualify for federal aid, the Colorado Governor’s Office said in the news release.
The fire ignited June 29 in Custer County and quickly spread, burning more than 102,000 acres and becoming the seventh-largest wildfire in Colorado history. At the peak of the wildfire, about 11,600 residents in Pueblo, Custer and Fremont counties were under mandatory evacuation.
San Isabel Electric Association experienced millions of dollars in damage to power lines, transformers and distribution infrastructure, leaving more than 2,600 customer locations without power during the height of the Aspen Acres fire.
Some residents were away from their homes for weeks, not knowing if their property survived the fire. The Aspen Acres fire destroyed 324 homes, making it the most destructive wildfire in terms of homes lost since the 2021 Marshall fire. State and federal officials determined that 270 of those homes met the requirements to qualify for federal aid, if the state’s request is granted. (Insured homes and second homes don’t qualify, Klein said.)
FEMA’s individual assistance program would provide support for needs like temporary housing, home repairs, crisis counseling, unemployment assistance and legal services, the state’s news release said.
Starting in July, rainfall caused ink-black floodwaters filled with ash to surge down the Aspen Acres burn scar and through communities like Beulah. On Aug. 16, the flooding killed one resident in the small community.
The floods have also repeatedly closed Colorado 78, limiting access to Beulah Valley and disrupting residents’ access to work, school, medical care and emergency services.
The floods have made it even harder for water utilities to restore services, leaving Beulah residents without running water for a month.
“Federal support is critical because the Aspen Acres Fire, followed by flash flooding from the massive burn scar, has created a continuous and compounding disaster far beyond what our local resources can sustain,” Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero said in the release Sunday.
If the Trump administration accepts the state’s request, FEMA’s public assistance program would help governments, utilities and some nonprofits cover costs tied to work like debris removal and repairs for roads, water systems and electricity grids. The state also asked for support to remove debris from private property in Pueblo and Custer counties.
Gold Mountain
The Gold Mountain fire, which began June 27 near Ouray, has isolated small mountain communities tucked into steep mountain terrain during their peak summer tourism seasons. One helicopter pilot died while responding to the fire, which has burned just over 39,500 acres and has led to debris flows and flooding.
On July 29, emergency responders rescued 17 people from flooding and debris flows near the Cutler Creek area and three properties in Ponderosa Village damaged enough to be declared uninhabitable, according to the state’s release. Debris flows have repeatedly closed portions of U.S. 550, a vital roadway connecting Ouray, Ridgway and Silverton.
State and federal officials found about $1.4 million in damages to public infrastructure from the Gold Mountain fire, the state’s release said.
Local governments and utilities would be able to tap into FEMA’s public assistance to fund repairs and recovery efforts, if the state’s major disaster request is granted.
Colorado also asked for FEMA Hazard Mitigation grants for the Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires. The funding is designed to support long-term solutions that reduce the impact of future disasters in an impacted community.
While FEMA’s programs have the most muscle, Colorado officials are also working with other federal agencies to get aid.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service can help repair and restore watersheds changed by the fires. In the Aspen Acres burn scar, the fire left behind water-resistent soil. It burned over streams and plants that used to slow the movement of water downhill. That means flood risks, and insurance requirements, are different for homes downstream.
The state is also working with agencies like the Small Business Administration, which can help address economic injuries for local businesses. Some of that aid depends on whether the state’s disaster request is granted, Klein said.
“We have been working to assess the damage correctly and by the book and ensure we get it right to do all we can to support our communities affected by these disasters,” Polis said in the news release. “I ask the President to approve this request so Coloradans can access the support needed to recover and rebuild.”