California deploys firefighters, equipment to assist Colorado crews with Aspen Acres Fire

Dozens of Cal Fire firefighters and firefighting equipment were deployed to Colorado on Saturday to assist crews battling the 85,000-acre Aspen Acres Fire, which has been burning for nearly a week. 

In a news release, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that 15 Cal Fire engines and crews, one agency representative and a mechanic were en route to Colorado on Saturday morning. In all, 53 Cal Fire personnel were deployed to battle the wildfire, which remains 0% contained and continues to threaten Custer and Pueblo counties after igniting on June 29. 

"As Californians prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July with family and friends, our firefighters are bravely heading to help our neighbors in Colorado," a statement from Newsom's Office said. "That's the American spirit and who we are. When a sister state needs our help, California shows up."

Crews are expected to remain in Colorado for at least two weeks. The move marks the first time that Cal Fire has deployed firefighting resources under the National Association of State Foresters, which is a state-to-state partnership between forestry agencies in all 50 states. 

The news release notes that Colorado agencies have lent aid to California multiple times in the past, notably the 2024 Park Fire in Northern California, and the 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires that burned in Los Angeles County. 

"Wildfire is not just a challenge for California — it's a shared reality across the West," said a statement from Cal Fire Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler. "The opportunity to support Colorado the way they have supported California is both important and necessary, because when one state is impacted, we all stand together."

The Aspen Acres Fire began on June 29 in Custer County, which is more than 200 miles southwest of Denver and just north of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. The flames were fueled by gusts of wind that reached up to 100 miles per hour at times, limiting the response from water-dropping aircraft and forcing thousands under mandatory evacuation orders.