Local
State investigators clarify weather data and early timeline in Aspen Acres fire probe
A Colorado fire investigator said a nearby weather station used in the initial report was about 17 miles from the fire’s origin, making a location-specific wind analysis more relevant. An addendum also puts the first 911 call at 5:39 a.m. on June 29, 2026, and a witness’s first sighting of smoke six minutes later.
A Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control investigator has clarified which weather data was used in the Aspen Acres wildfire investigation and when the fire was first reported, addressing questions raised about the agency’s initial report.
In an addendum dated Oct. 7, investigator Josh Dreher said the weather information initially cited came from a station in Colorado City, about 17 miles from the fire’s area of origin. Dreher said a separate wind verification report, which uses coordinates for the origin area, is the more accurate source for local wind conditions.
The clarification followed an Oct. 6 email from Custer County Sheriff Lloyd “Rich” Smith about apparent discrepancies between the weather information in the investigation and an attached wind report. The addendum does not provide specific wind speeds.
Dreher also clarified the early timeline for the June 29 fire. A passerby called 911 from Colorado Highway 165 at 5:39 a.m., and witness Guy Richter reported seeing smoke south of Aspen Acres Campground from his porch at 5:45 a.m.
The addendum says the initial report’s description of the fire’s onset referred to the first minutes between the passerby’s call and Richter’s observation. Dreher wrote that investigative conclusions could be revised if new or relevant information emerges.
The state division’s investigation identifies the incident as the Aspen Acres wildfire in Custer County. The material provided here does not state the investigators’ determination of the fire’s cause.