KRDO13 Investigates: What ‘Aspen Acres’ fire investigators say sparked the state’s 5th most destructive wildfire
CUSTER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Over 100 days ago, members of the Rye Fire Protection District were dispatched to a fire near the "Aspen Acres" campground. Little did they know, it would become the state's fifth most destructive and seventh largest wildfire.
KRDO13 Investigates has obtained a copy of the Division of Fire Prevention and Control's (DFPC) report on the cause of the 100,000-plus-acre "Aspen Acres" fire. In the final fire investigation and cause report, officials say a tree made contact with energized power lines and sparked the fire.
DFPC says the fire was sparked by an aspen tree that fell onto conductors and energized power lines running through the trees, according to the report obtained by KRDO13 Investigates. They say the tree had "broken free and contacted energized power lines that resulted in a fire."
According to DFPC, the fire first started around 200 feet west of Highway 165 in Custer County, and southwest of the intersection of Highway 165 and Custer Drive.
Officials had been reporting that the fire was human-caused, which means it wasn't caused by lightning or another similar event. In the report KRDO13 obtained, DFPC cites data confirming there were no lightning strikes in the area or at the time the fire started.
They also say wind speeds around the time of the fire reached up to 50 mph. DFPC also concluded in the report that there was no evidence of smoking materials in the area that could have started the fire.
The report also included dozens of photos showing downed trees, power lines and burned material.
A Beulah resident told KRDO13 Investigates they're not surprised by the cause of the fire.
"We get wind. We have a lot of trees, we have dry conditions, we've had drought. We know this is a possibility, and yet we also rely on power and San Isabel Electric," Kris Allen said. "It's not a big surprise that there could be just one place where a tree comes down and it sparks."
Allen says another local had already reported seeing a downed power line and tree in the area of the fire when it started, adding to the lack of surprise.
We also reached out to San Isabel Electric Association, which owns the power lines and they provided the following statement:
"We appreciate you reaching out. Our focus remains on supporting the families and communities affected by the Aspen Acres fire and on continuing to serve our members. We are unable to comment on matters that are the subject of pending litigation."
The fire, still burning, was last reported at just over 102,000 acres, with 82% containment, as of August 13. That makes it one of the 10 largest wildfires in state history, according to DFPC.
As of the last report, the Alaska Incident Management Team believed around 850 structures were lost.
That includes at least 241 homes/commercial properties in Pueblo County, with 208 in Beulah, 28 in Rye, 2 in Colorado City and 3 in unincorporated parts of the county, according to the sheriff's office. The Custer County sheriff says at least 85 homes in that county had been lost.
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