Polis Submits Formal Request for Federal Disaster Declaration

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced Sunday that he has submitted a formal request to the federal government for a Major Disaster Declaration, seeking assistance for communities hit by the Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain wildfires and the flooding that followed. The request, described by the governor's office as formal and comprehensive, is split into three categories: Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Funding.

In announcing the request, Polis said the disasters "clearly meet all the requirements for a Major Disaster Declaration" and noted that the subsequent flooding and debris flows "have caused further destruction and claimed a life." He added that Colorado has "committed significant resources to this response, but the scale of this disaster requires a strong partnership among federal, state and local governments for a successful recovery."

According to KRDO, the governor's office explained that Individual Assistance would cover temporary housing, home repairs, essential personal property, crisis counseling, disaster care management, disaster unemployment assistance, and disaster legal services. Public Assistance would help state and local governments, public utilities, and certain nonprofits with debris removal, emergency protective measures, and repairs to roads, water systems, and electric grids. FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Funding would support long-term solutions to reduce future disaster impact.

The Damage: Fires and Flooding Across Three Counties

The request centers on two major wildfires. The Aspen Acres Fire ignited on June 29 in Custer County and spread to Pueblo and Fremont counties, burning more than 102,000 acres, making it the seventh largest wildfire in state history. As of the latest reporting, the fire was 74% contained, burning in unpopated areas of rugged terrain. The fire destroyed 329 houses and damaged 62 others, according to The Denver Post, while KRDO reports it burned more than 800 structures, including 324 homes. Of the destroyed homes, 208 were in Beulah and 85 burned in unincorporated Custer County, a figure that accounts for 2% of the county's entire housing stock.

The Gold Mountain Fire started June 28 in Ouray County, burning 39,500 acres and destroying five homes, with five others damaged. Much of the destruction in Ouray County followed flooding from the fire's burn scar.

The fires left lasting damage beyond the flames. In Beulah, residents suffered from flooding on the burn scar that sent mud, fallen trees, and debris into the valley, ruining floors, walls, and furniture. The Denver Post reported that some residents were denied insurance due to wildfire risk.

Infrastructure also took a heavy hit. San Isabel Electric Cooperative, which provides electricity to 24,000 people in seven southern Colorado counties, lost millions of dollars in equipment. The Pine Drive Water District was unable to restore water service for customers until recently. U.S. 550 between Ouray and Ridgway has been closed repeatedly due to debris flows, and mudslides on Red Mountain Pass closed the highway between Ouray and Silverton. In his letter, Polis wrote: "Because U.S. 550 is the only route in this corridor, each closure isolates residents from medical care, employment, and emergency services. The closures ruptured the region’s tourism economy at the height of its high summer season."

Political Context: A Previous Denial and Lingering Tensions

This request lands in a politically charged environment. The Denver Post reports that President Donald Trump denied Colorado's request for federal disaster assistance for the 2025 Elk and Lee fires and Western Slope flooding, and an appeal of that denial was turned down. That denial was the first for Colorado in 35 years, following a 1990 denial by President George H.W. Bush after an F3 tornado in Limon. Typically, presidential approval for such requests is routine; President Joe Biden approved aid for the 2021 Marshall fire within hours, and President Barack Obama approved aid for the 2013 floods within days.

The Denver Post also reports that the Trump administration has stripped hundreds of millions of dollars from Colorado, including grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy, and has sought to close the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.

Additionally, the Post reported on a December meeting at the White House with five agency leaders where Trump berated Polis over the imprisonment of former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters. An email about that meeting was disclosed during a federal court hearing over Colorado's lawsuit alleging retaliation by the administration. State officials argue that retaliation was motivated by the president's frustration with Peters' incarceration and the state's mail-in balloting system.

Officials Urge Federal Support

Local officials across the affected counties have voiced strong support for the declaration. Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero said, "Federal support is critical because the Aspen Acres Fire, followed by flash flooding from the massive burn scar, has created a continuous and compounding disaster far beyond what our local resources can sustain."

Custer County Commissioner Lucas Epp called the declaration "very important to the Custer citizens to recover some of our costs and put them into our own citizens' wildfire mitigation, evacuation route enhancements, and good faith effort on our federal government's responsibility to its citizens."

Polis's letter also underscored the vulnerability of the affected communities: "These losses were inflicted on two rural counties with limited housing inventory, a high proportion of older residents on fixed incomes, and a documented pattern of underinsurance."

What Federal Aid Would Cover

If approved, the Major Disaster Declaration would make federal dollars available for rebuilding roads, water treatment plants, parks, and other public services in Pueblo, Custer, and Ouray counties, according to The Denver Post. Rural electric cooperatives would qualify for assistance in rebuilding lost power lines and transmission stations, said Kevin Klein, director of the state's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Federal dollars would also be available to people whose houses were uninsured, though secondary homes would not be covered.

The Denver Post reported that Polis submitted a 50-page letter outlining Colorado's case in compliance with federal law governing disaster assistance. The governor also noted that his office has been working "to assess the damage correctly and by the book" to support affected communities, asking the president to approve the request "so Coloradans can access the support needed to recover and rebuild."

Even if the request is denied, state officials say they will continue to help. Kevin Klein stated: "This is about the survivors and what we can do to help them and the communities rebuild. That's where our focus is and that's where our focus will remain."