On June 29, observers reported seeing a tree tangled in power lines, an explosion sound, and small ground fires near electrical equipment prior to the rapid spread. A lawsuit since filed against San Isabel Electric Association claims that high winds pushed a tree into power lines or caused electrical arcing in the Aspen Acres neighborhood.
Residents of Beulah, Colorado, might have been told their homes were destroyed, but for them, it was not real until they saw the damage with their own eyes.
"There were just some devastating scenes that we saw today in and around the community of Beulah," Fox 31 Denver reported.
About 60% of the families of Grand View Church lost homes in the blaze. Pastor Isaac Cowger says the fire was so fast and fierce, people only had time to gather themselves, their pets, and a few necessities.
"A lot of people were given 15 minutes from pre-evacuation to mandatory," he reports.
Since returning home, he says there have been a lot of tears. Disaster relief agencies are helping, and Pastor Isaac says Samaritans Purse is going to addresses where houses once stood to help people find anything the fire might have missed.
"They're able to sift through ashes," he details. "A deacon in my church, his wife posted on Facebook of a necklace that her stepdaughters got her, and it was still there."
Returning home was "an emotional day," and knowing more of those are ahead, he is asking for prayer.
"Please pray for our church service that's going to happen at the elementary school in town," he requested. "We're not able to use our building quite yet on Sunday."
It will be the church's first meeting since the fire.
As of the weekend, the Aspen Acres Fire was still burning, but firefighters have made substantial progress in containing it by 61%. Recent rainfall has helped in some areas, and crews continue to patrol and strengthen containment lines while watching for flare-ups, especially in areas with dead timber and where hot, dry, and windy conditions could increase fire activity.
So far, 101,546 acres have burned and more than 300 structures across Pueblo and Custer counties have been destroyed, but no civilian deaths have officially been reported.
Evacuation mandates have gradually been downgraded or lifted for parts of Huerfano and Pueblo counties, but some orders remain active.
