Press Releases

Denver — Today, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen joined Senator Michael Bennet and Representative Jeff Hurd and the entire Colorado Congressional delegation – Senator John Hickenlooper and U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank, and Gabe Evans – in a letter to President Trump expressing strong support for Governor Jared Polis’ request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Pueblo, Custer, and Ouray Counties in Colorado. This request comes in response to more than $18 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency validated damages from Colorado’s Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires. 

In June, Colorado experienced two large, destructive fires within 48 hours, the Aspen Acres Fire and Gold Mountain Fire, due to prime wildfire conditions including high winds, extreme heat, and prolonged drought. These fires burned over 140,000 acres collectively across Pueblo, Custer, and Ouray Counties and destroyed hundreds of homes and structures and energy and water infrastructure. The burn scars left by these fires also contributed to significant post-fire flooding and debris flows that led to one fatality in Beulah, Colorado. 

Summer is peak tourism season for Colorado, and the fires and subsequent flooding caused major disruptions to transportation, lodging, recreation, hospitality, outfitter, and guide businesses. They also damaged the operations of agricultural producers who lost livestock, fencing, and grazing lands. Several rural communities were also affected by road closures, which made accessing work, school, healthcare, or essential services extremely difficult. State and federal emergency response officials state that they expect disruptions to continue through the remainder of the summer season. 

“Successful recovery is essential to restoring the counties’ economies, which depend on clean drinking water, tourism, agriculture, outdoor recreation, and hunting and fishing. Without additional support, residents could face potentially insurmountable barriers to rebuilding homes and businesses, increased drinking water and electric utility costs, and the loss of important habitat and grazing lands. In addition, these communities face ongoing hazards from the post-fire burn scars, including debris, burned trees, and threats to water quality and drinking water infrastructure,” wrote the lawmakers. 

“[...] a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration unlocks federal assistance programs, including Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants, that are indispensable to recovery, mitigation, and long-term resilience. These communities urgently need federal relief to rebuild. We thank you in advance for your expedited review and approval of the Governor’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration,” concluded the lawmakers.  

The text of the letter is available HERE and below. 

Dear Mr. President:

We strongly support Governor Jared Polis’ request on [TK August 24, 2026] for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration with Public and Individual Assistance for Custer and Pueblo Counties, Colorado, in response to the Aspen Acres Fire and Public Assistance for Ouray County in response to the Gold Mountain Fire. Both fires burned during June, July, and August 2026. As part of this request, Governor Polis has also requested the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Program for the affected counties. 

In June 2026, extreme heat, prolonged drought, and high winds up to 100 miles per hour contributed to two mega fires in Colorado within 48 hours. The Gold Mountain Fire burned approximately 40,000 acres in Ouray County, Colorado, and the Aspen Acres Fire burned over 102,000 acres across Custer County and Pueblo County, Colorado. Together, these fires destroyed drinking water and electric utility infrastructure, and over 800 structures and 324 homes. The burn scars from both fires contributed to significant post-fire flooding and debris flows that destroyed additional homes, buildings, and electric, water, and transportation infrastructure. On August 16, a significant rain event resulted in one fatality in Beulah, Colorado. 

Both fires occurred immediately before the Fourth of July during the summer’s peak tourism season, disrupting lodging, recreation, hospitality, outfitter, and guide businesses. Repeated fire, flood, and debris flow closures have limited visitation and disrupted tourism along the U.S. 550 corridor in Ouray and San Juan Counties, and in Beulah, Rye, and Westcliffe, Colorado. State and federal emergency response officials expect these disruptions to continue through the remainder of the summer season, with flood warnings and business closures continuing to cause cancellations while agricultural producers lose livestock, fencing, and grazing lands. In already isolated rural communities, the ongoing road closures are limiting access to work, schools, pharmacies, medical care, and other essential services. 

Governor Polis has requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for the Aspen Acres Fire and Gold Mountain Fire. With over $17 million in validated damages, and with significant gaps in private insurance coverage, the Aspen Acres Fire meets the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s threshold for both Public and Individual Assistance. Losses incurred due to the Gold Mountain Fire meet FEMA’s threshold for Public Assistance.

Successful recovery is essential to restoring the counties’ economies, which depend on clean drinking water, tourism, agriculture, outdoor recreation, and hunting and fishing. Without additional support, residents could face potentially insurmountable barriers to rebuilding homes and businesses, increased drinking water and electric utility costs, and the loss of important habitat and grazing lands. In addition, these communities face ongoing hazards from the post-fire burn scars, including debris, burned trees, and threats to water quality and drinking water infrastructure. 

As you are aware, a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration unlocks federal assistance programs, including Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants, that are indispensable to recovery, mitigation, and long-term resilience. These communities urgently need federal relief to rebuild. We thank you in advance for your expedited review and approval of the Governor’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration.

###