Wetmore Volunteer Fire Department

10/24/2026

10/14/2026

More on the Aspen Acres Fire 2026 investigation, with photos and location:

The Aspen Acres fire sparked June 29 about 200 feet west of Highway 165 in Custer County, state investigators said

10/14/2026

A reporter from KRCC radio visits Babcock Hole with a Forest Service fire specialist to discuss how fires move through different landscapes.

Interesting graphics too -- but the fire map skips the "Mason Fire" of 2011, which occurred when about 160 acres burned after a small airplane crashed in on the 2005 burn area.

Worth a read.

Wildfire scars don’t prevent new fires.

10/13/2026

10/12/2026

Official cause of Aspen Acres Fire 2026, confirming what had already been said.

ASPEN ACRES FIRE CAUSED BY A SINGLE TREE - State investigators have released the cause of Aspen Acres Fire, the fifth most destructive fire in Colorado history (over 102,000 acres burned, still only 82 percent contained, 850 structures lost).

According to the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, an aspen tree fell onto energized power lines near Highway 165 in Custer County. That contact between the tree and power lines sparked the initial fire, and it spread quickly due to high winds.

According to the report, other possible causes such as - campfire, lightning or a dropped cigarette were ruled out.

Already, multiple lawsuits against San Isabel Electric have been filed, alleging that the company didn’t maintain their lines and cut back trees so they wouldn’t fall on them.

10/11/2026

We responded on this one, picking out an landing zone for Flight for Life and assisting with loading the patient into the helicopter.

Vehicle vs. Tree Crash – County Road 387

A vehicle struck a tree on CR 387 near mile marker 4.2. Airbags deployed, and the juvenile driver was transported by helicopter for treatment of injuries. Speed was a contributing factor in this crash.

Please take this as a reminder to slow down and drive for the conditions. Gravel roads can have loose surfaces and reduced traction. Higher speeds leave less time to react and increase the severity of a crash.

Slow down before curves, avoid abrupt braking or steering, and always wear your seat belt. Airbags provide additional protection, but they do not replace seat belts.

Use caution near emergency scenes and give responders room to work.

Please keep the injured juvenile and their family in your thoughts.

— Custer County Sheriff’s Office

10/08/2026

10/07/2026

Before the fine weather ends, here are a few photos from another fine day, Sept. 25th, when the community turned out to support the department. Starring Engine 942, a Type III wildland engine, a.k.a. "the state truck."

Feel free to post more fundraiser photos if you have them.