Motorcycle washes up in local’s backyard following flooding in Beulah after ‘Aspen Acres’ fire

BEULAH, Colo. (KRDO) -- Flash flooding sent ash, debris and mudslides into the Beulah Valley region Tuesday night. The surge was triggered by water runoff from the Aspen Acres fire burn scar which acted as a funnel for the rainwater, preventing moisture from being absorbed into the ground.

Property owners near South Creek reported a sudden influx of “black water” from creeks that had previously been dry.

Gary Kyte owns Triple K Ranch with his family, and parts of the property were flooded by the runoff.

Kyte explained that the burned landscape has fundamentally changed how the land handles rainfall. “This is our watershed where all the water gets collected and held when it rains,” Kyte said. “And now that it’s all burned, it creates like a glazed layer over the surface.”

Kyte described the arrival of the flood as an abrupt event that transformed the landscape in moments. “These creeks were literally all dry,” Kyte said. “And then the water hit. And I mean, it was like a wall of water, just black water.”

The receding water revealed several large items deposited on Kyte’s property, including trees and hazardous equipment.

“It was bringing everything down, and there were trees moving in it. There was a little bit of everything,” Kyte said. “In fact, turns out there was a little bit more than just trees and everything. We wound up with a motorcycle down here against the power pole. We’ve got a residential propane tank over here. And I haven’t really looked at the whole property yet, so far that’s where we’re at.”

Kyte is now attempting to locate the owner of the motorcycle. He described the Beulah Valley community as close-knit and encouraged the owner of the vehicle to reach out.

Local officials have advised residents to remain vigilant as more rain is expected throughout the summer. Authorities recommend that people in the affected area establish a plan to reach higher ground if flooding begins.

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