Colorado is in the middle of one of its most active wildfire seasons in recent memory. As of July 8, 2026, six large wildfires have burned more than 129,000 acres across the state, with the Aspen Acres Fire in Pueblo and Custer counties now the largest active fire — sitting at approximately 93,500 acres and 16% contained after starting June 29.
For Colorado Springs residents and military families with Fort Carson orders, here's what's actually relevant right now.
Where the Fires Are and What's Burning
The Aspen Acres Fire is the most significant fire affecting the Colorado Springs region. It started June 29 in Pueblo and Custer counties — southwest of Pueblo along the Wet Mountains corridor — and has been driven by record-low fuel moisture levels, a persistent heat dome, and southwest winds that have repeatedly pushed the fire toward communities including Beulah, Colorado City, and Wetmore. Mandatory evacuations remain in place for those communities. The fire has destroyed more than 263 homes and is fueled by heavy timber in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest.
The Ferris Fire is burning in Montezuma and Dolores counties in southwestern Colorado at roughly 41,000 acres and 22% contained. The Gold Mountain Fire in Ouray County near Ridgway and Ouray is at 2% containment with Level 3 evacuation orders in place for several neighborhoods. The Willow Fire burned near Leadville in Lake County and the Snyder Fire on the Western Slope near Mesa and Grand counties is now 98% contained.
Colorado Springs itself is not under evacuation or direct threat from any current fire. The most immediate impact on the city is air quality — smoke from the Aspen Acres Fire and other active fires has pushed PM2.5 particulate matter along the Front Range, including Colorado Springs. On heavy smoke days, air quality drops to unhealthy levels for sensitive groups.
What This Means for Air Quality in Colorado Springs
Wildfire smoke is the primary impact on daily life in Colorado Springs right now. PM2.5 particles from large fires travel hundreds of miles and can push air quality into the unhealthy range even when the nearest fire is 50 or more miles away. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is issuing air quality alerts on days when smoke concentrations are elevated.
Practical steps for households during heavy smoke periods: keep windows and doors closed, run HVAC systems on recirculate mode with high-efficiency filters, and limit outdoor exercise on days when the AQI is above 100. Military families at Fort Carson should check the installation's air quality advisories, as outdoor PT formations may be adjusted on high-smoke days.
What's Happening Nationally
Colorado is not isolated in this. The 2026 fire season has been abnormally active across the western United States. The Cottonwood Fire in Utah's Fishlake National Forest burned more than 93,000 acres as of July 1 and was described by Utah's governor as one of the most destructive in state history. The Babylon Fire is burning in the San Juan County portion of the Manti-La Sal National Forest near Bears Ears National Monument with zero containment as of early July. Across Colorado and Utah combined, more than 200,000 acres burned in the first week of July alone.
The National Interagency Fire Center has issued active fire behavior advisories for portions of Colorado and Wyoming through mid-July, citing minimum relative humidity levels below 5% and southwest winds with gusts up to 40 mph as conditions that allow rapid fire spread. Three wildland firefighters were killed battling the Snyder Fire on the Utah-Colorado border in late June. Hundreds of additional personnel have been deployed to Colorado from out of state to support incident management teams on the largest fires.
The underlying conditions driving this season — one of Colorado's lowest snowpacks on record during the 2025-26 winter, persistent drought, and record-low fuel moisture — are not expected to resolve quickly. Red Flag Warnings remain in effect for western, southern, and foothill fire weather zones through mid-July.
What It Means for Colorado Springs Real Estate
The current fires are not burning near Colorado Springs and are not directly affecting home values or transaction activity in the metro. The market is continuing normally. But wildfire seasons like this one do have longer-term implications that buyers and homeowners should understand.
Home insurance is the most significant real estate impact. Insurers across Colorado have been tightening underwriting standards for properties in or near fire-prone areas, and some carriers have pulled back from certain zip codes entirely. If you're buying a home in a WUI — wildland-urban interface — zone, which includes some areas in the Black Forest, Woodland Park, and Teller County, getting insurance quotes early in the purchase process is essential. Don't wait until you're under contract to find out your property is difficult to insure.
For most Colorado Springs neighborhoods — particularly those in established suburban areas of the city — wildfire insurance risk is manageable and standard homeowner's policies apply without issue. The higher-risk areas are the rural-adjacent communities in the foothills and forested zones rather than the urban core and suburban grid.
If you're a military buyer PCSing to Fort Carson, the neighborhoods most popular with military families — Fountain, Security-Widefield, the Powers corridor, and most established city neighborhoods — are not in elevated wildfire risk zones. Standard homeowner's insurance applies in these areas without the complications that come with WUI properties.
What to Do Right Now
For current Colorado Springs residents: sign up for El Paso County emergency notifications at elpasoco.com if you haven't already. Know your evacuation zone. Have a go-bag ready with important documents, medications, and essentials. These are baseline preparedness steps that apply every fire season in Colorado, not just this one.
For buyers under contract or shopping for homes: ask your agent specifically about the property's fire risk zone designation and whether any insurance limitations apply. This is a standard question in any Colorado purchase and your agent should be able to get that information from the seller's disclosure or county records.
For the most current information on active fires, containment status, and evacuation orders, visit the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control at dfpc.colorado.gov or the National Interagency Fire Center at nifc.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Colorado Springs at risk from the current wildfires?
Colorado Springs is not under evacuation or direct fire threat as of July 8, 2026. The primary impact on the city is air quality from smoke drifting along the Front Range from fires in southern Colorado, particularly the Aspen Acres Fire in Pueblo and Custer counties.
What is the Aspen Acres Fire?
The Aspen Acres Fire started June 29, 2026, in Pueblo and Custer counties along the Wet Mountains corridor southwest of Pueblo. As of July 8 it has burned approximately 93,500 acres, is 16% contained, has destroyed more than 263 homes, and forced mandatory evacuations for approximately 11,000 people in communities including Beulah, Colorado City, and Wetmore. It is the largest active fire in Colorado.
Does wildfire risk affect home buying near Colorado Springs?
In most Colorado Springs neighborhoods — particularly suburban areas popular with military families — wildfire risk is low and standard homeowner's insurance applies. Properties in forested or WUI zones in the foothills and rural areas outside the city carry higher insurance risk. Ask your agent about fire risk zone designations for any property you're seriously considering.
Where can I check air quality in Colorado Springs during wildfire season?
Check airnow.gov for current AQI readings by zip code. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment also issues air quality alerts at cdphe.colorado.gov. On days when AQI exceeds 100, limit outdoor activity and run HVAC systems on recirculate with high-efficiency filters.
Are the 2026 Colorado wildfires affecting home insurance rates?
Active wildfires don't immediately change insurance rates, but Colorado's increasingly active fire seasons have led insurers to tighten underwriting in fire-prone zones over recent years. If you're purchasing a home in a WUI or forested area, get insurance quotes early in the buying process. Most standard Colorado Springs suburban neighborhoods are not significantly affected.
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