El Paso County officials hold town hall for victims impacted by 117 fire

Dozens of families are trying to move forward after the massive 117 fire burned in El Paso County.

County officials met with those victims on Monday night to help them with the next steps of recovery.

A town hall at Hanover Junior-Senior High was a chance for people in the fire zone to get some answers.

Attendees heard about damage assessment, and what that process looks like, and it was explained in a detailed handout from the County Assessor, Steve Schleiker.

“It’s always better to sit down with folks face to face and communicate with them about how things work,” said Schleiker.

Schleiker also said the county is using similar templates to other disasters from the past, like the Waldo Canyon Fire and the Black Forest Fire.

In all, about 35 structures were destroyed in the 117 fire, ranging from outbuildings to family homes.

If you are a victim and missed the meeting, you can contact the assessor’s office or county officials directly for more information.