REBUILD
Mobilizing · Updated 2026-09-29

2026 Aspen Acres Fire

My property was damaged — what now?

Six steps. One at a time. You do not have to know insurance to get this right.

  1. 1. Document everythingPhotos, video, receipts. Before cleanup, before contractors, before the adjuster.
  2. 2. Call your insurance carrierOpen the claim. Write down the claim number and the desk adjuster’s name.
  3. 3. Stabilize the propertyTarping, board-up, water extraction — emergency work your policy covers. We do it: 719-744-2566.
  4. 4. Follow the debris rules for this areaCounty cleanup & debris assistance — enroll before self-hauling anything.
  5. 5. Get the rebuild scopedOne intake and we take it from there — start your rebuild.
  6. 6. If insurance falls shortFEMA, state, and community programs exist for exactly that: Colorado DHSEM — State Disaster Declarations.

Start your rebuild

Burn-scar flooding

Burned ground can’t soak up rain, so storms over the Aspen Acres burn scar send water, mud, and debris down North Creek, Middle Creek, and Squirrel Creek toward Beulah. Expect it again after heavy rain for the next few years.

  1. Get alertsSign up for Pueblo County emergency alerts and keep phone weather alerts on. When a flash flood warning covers the burn scar: stay home or get to high ground. Never drive through a flooded road or around a barricade.
  2. Document before you cleanPhotos and video of every room, the yard, the driveway, and the high-water line. Keep receipts for pumps, fans, and cleanup supplies.
  3. File flood as its own claimHomeowner policies exclude flood. Rising water is an NFIP or private flood claim, separate from the fire claim — even when the fire caused the flooding.
  4. Dry out fastWet drywall, insulation, and flooring start growing mold within a day or two. Get water out, open walls where needed, and keep documenting as you go.
  5. Get flood coverage now if you don’t have itNFIP coverage normally starts 30 days after purchase. The Post-Wildfire Exception can waive that wait when flooding comes off burned federal land — Aspen Acres burned part of the Pike-San Isabel National Forest. Eligibility is decided case by case; ask your agent.

Sources: KRDO, Sept 29, 2026 · KKTV, Sept 29, 2026 · NFIP Post-Wildfire Exception · Printable flyer · Guide: living below a burn scar