Colorado battles six wildfires as 127,000 acres burn under extreme fire weather

Six large wildfires are scorching Colorado, totaling about 127,000 acres with the Aspen Acres blaze as the largest at roughly 47,953 acres and 0% containment. Dangerous, dry conditions and strong winds have spurred evacuations in Rye, Beulah and Wetmore, and firefighting teams—supported by air tankers and hundreds of engines, including 100 from California—are racing to gain the upper hand. An Alaska-based incident management team has taken command of the Aspen Acres response. Other active fires include Snyder (30,193 acres, 49% contained), Gold Mountain (18,005 acres), Ferris (27,382 acres), Willow (2,207 acres) and Big Sheep (1,153 acres). Officials warn growth is likely without relief, though moisture—and winds—are expected to shift by the weekend.