Gov. Polis talks next steps as President Trump approves public assistance for ‘Aspen Acres’ fire victims

STATEWIDE, Colo. (KRDO) -- President Donald Trump has approved public assistance for Colorado's Major Disaster Declaration request for communities affected by the "Aspen Acres" fire and "Gold Mountain" fire.

According to officials, the request was submitted specifically for Pueblo, Custer, Dolores and Ouray counties following the fires and subsequent flooding and debris flows on both burn scars. According to a release from the governor's office, the request included individual and public assistance for residents in Pueblo and Custer counties, and public assistance support for residents in Ouray County.

KRDO13 sat down with Gov. Jared Polis to discuss what the assistance means for Coloradans.

"This is a big deal for the over 300 homeowners that lost everything they had," Gov. Polis said. "It allows us to start moving forward with the debris removal, and that's the biggest part of that. That debris is a public health hazard and nobody can plan to rebuild or sell until that's really cleared."

The governor requested three forms of FEMA support, but he told KRDO13 only the public assistance has been approved so far. They are still waiting on individual assistance.

Gov. Polis says Coloradans who are waiting for debris removal from the state should expect some help soon.

"We should probably in the next month, month and a half start that debris removal," Gov. Polis told KRDO13. "It shouldn't take more than a couple months. We want to get that done and cleared as soon as we can. That's the biggest part of this aid, and that's very important for people to be able to get that done."

According to the governor's office, the three forms of FEMA support initially requested were:

• "IA would provide direct support to eligible primary households for needs such as temporary housing, home repairs and essential personal Individual Assistance (IA) for Pueblo and Custer Counties: IA would provide direct support to eligible primary households for needs such as temporary housing, home repairs, and essential personal property. The request also includes crisis counseling, disaster care management, disaster unemployment assistance, and disaster legal services.
• Public Assistance (PA) for Pueblo, Custer, and Ouray Counties: PA would help state and local governments, public utilities, and certain nonprofit organizations cover eligible costs for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and repairs to roads, water systems, electric grids, and other critical public infrastructure. The request also seeks support for private-property debris removal in Pueblo and Custer Counties. 
• FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Funding: This funding is designed to support long-term solutions that reduce the impact of future disasters in an impacted community. Throughout the disaster period, the State has coordinated closely with Colorado’s congressional delegation to secure federal support for the response and recovery."

Gov. Polis said the main focus right now is making sure the work gets done so those who are impacted can start to move forward.

"We just want to get it done so families can get some degree of normalcy, making their decisions," Gov. Polis said. "'Are we going to rebuild? Are we going to sell? Where are we going to live?' This is a good day in that recovery. A lot of good days and bad days going forward."

According to officials, now that the Major Disaster Declaration has been approved, the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will work with FEMA and local governments and communities on how to implement the assistance.

More information on the Major Disaster Declaration and approval is available on the governor's website.

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