Rye Evacuation Orders Downgraded as Residents Begin Returning After Aspen Acres Fire

Overview

• The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office said it will downgrade evacuation orders for Rye starting at 8 a.m. Thursday and lift pre-evacuation status for Colorado City, allowing many residents displaced for nearly a month to start returning.
• Returnees described mixed emotions of relief and caution after long displacement, with families reporting extended stays in hotels and with relatives and some residents citing large out‑of‑pocket costs from short‑term lodging.
• Local reporting shows heavy destruction along the fire’s path, with one account noting about 255 homes burned and neighborhoods left with a patchwork of standing and destroyed properties.
• Firefighting and recovery work is ongoing with helicopters still fetching water, National Guard and federal resources having supported earlier containment efforts, and crews continuing to assess hot spots and air quality before full reentry is declared.
• Authorities continue investigations into the fire’s likely human cause while officials and aid groups organize damage assessments, animal care, shelter wind‑down and assistance for residents facing rebuilding or relocation decisions.