Colorado wildfire update keeps emergency response and recovery operations at Level 1
The state’s July 20 update reported 100,756 acres and 61% containment for the Aspen Acre Fire, 26 acres and 20% containment for the latest Hartman Hill figures, and recovery assistance in Pueblo County.
Colorado’s State Emergency Operations Center and State Recovery Task Force remained at Level 1 in the state’s July 20 wildfire update, which also reported new figures for the Aspen Acre and Hartman Hill fires and listed recovery resources for affected communities.
The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s July 20 report says Response Level 1 means the State EOC is fully activated with state and federal staff. The report says the recovery task force was activated June 30.
A state emergency-management summary described the food, water and shelter lifeline as unstable because of numerous evacuations. The full DHSEM page says all community lifelines were stable at the state level. The differing descriptions do not establish that every Colorado community lacked those services.
Fire figures and local assistance
The report listed the Aspen Acre Fire in Custer and Pueblo counties at 100,756 acres and 61% containment, based on figures from 8 a.m. It listed a Recovery Assistance Center at Beulah Heights Elementary, 2670 Delphinium St. in Pueblo, open Monday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m.
The report also listed a 7 p.m. July 20 community meeting at Craver Middle School in Colorado City, with livestreams on Facebook and YouTube. The available record does not confirm that the meeting occurred.
The latest available July 20 Hartman Hill Fire update, posted at 7:20 p.m. by the Grand County Sheriff’s Office and reposted by Colorado Emergency Management, listed the fire at 26 acres and 20% containment. It said personnel would continue suppression operations the next day, K16 remained under pre-evacuation status and American Red Cross volunteers were serving dinner to firefighters. Those are not verified July 21 figures.
The state directed residents to Colorado 211, the Colorado Disaster Recovery Hub, county recovery pages and voluntary organizations for information and disaster assistance. It also listed Crisis Cleanup and Airbnb.org transitional housing, with initial stays of up to 10 days for eligible individuals or families. Residents should check 211 or county emergency-management information for eligibility, hours and services before traveling.
Fire acreage and containment figures are reported at 8 a.m. daily by the team managing each fire, while the map is updated throughout the day, the state report says. The available material does not provide a statewide total for displaced people or a county-by-county inventory of food, water and shelter disruptions.