Firefighters in southern Colorado reported improved containment Friday even as the Aspen Acres Fire expanded to about 100,223 acres, making it the largest active wildfire in the state and one of the largest in Colorado history.
Containment progress and tactics
The Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 6 said crews have reached roughly 61% containment. Incident leaders credited calmer winds and increased moisture for allowing more aggressive line‑building along key edges of the fire while lowering immediate risk to crews.
“We’re trying to ‘squeeze the box’ to limit the fire’s growth,”
Strategic Operations Chief Manny Mendoza described that approach as involving riskier, targeted actions to strengthen the fire line where conditions permit. Mendoza also noted the Aspen Acres Fire had briefly been the largest fire disaster in the country before fires elsewhere in the Northwest intensified, reducing the availability of out‑of‑state resources.
Local impacts and public safety
Some evacuation orders have been downgraded, but officials warned residents not to return prematurely. In a letter to the community, Rye Fire Protection District Chief Ross Gallegos reminded residents that the fire remains roughly two miles from the town and continues to pose a public safety threat.
- Approximate acreage: 100,223 acres
- Reported containment: 61%
- Nearest identified community: Rye (Huerfano County)
Authorities emphasized that areas cleared for reentry are subject to checkpoints and restrictions, and asked returning residents to obey access controls to avoid endangering themselves or interfering with suppression efforts.
Context within Colorado wildfire history
The state Division of Fire Prevention and Control said the Aspen Acres Fire ranks as the seventh‑largest wildfire in Colorado history by acreage. The size places it slightly below the 2018 Spring Creek Fire, which burned about 108,045 acres.
| Fire | Approx. acreage |
|---|---|
| Aspen Acres Fire (2026) | 100,223 |
| Spring Creek Fire (2018) | 108,045 |
Fire behavior has eased from the extreme conditions present at ignition, but incident personnel say the area still faces moderate fire danger. Crews continue to work containment lines, construct dozer lines in strategic locations — including along Highway 165 on the fire’s northwestern flank — and coordinate resource needs amid shifting priorities nationwide.
For residents in Huerfano County and nearby communities: check official county and fire district channels for the latest evacuation and reentry guidance, and avoid travel beyond established checkpoints without authorization.
Reporting from southern Colorado.
