DENVER — Colorado communities recovering from two major wildfires this year are getting federal help.
Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday that President Trump approved Public Assistance for Colorado's Major Disaster Declaration request, supporting communities recovering from the Aspen Acres Fire in Pueblo, Custer and Dolores counties, and the Gold Mountain Fire in Ouray County, along with some of the subsequent flooding and debris flows.
"Coloradans hit by the Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain Fires have shown incredible strength, but recovering from big disasters requires federal help," Polis said. "Today's approval of Public Assistance will help our communities clear debris and repair damage to public infrastructure."
Polis said removing debris from destroyed homes and buildings is the most important step toward rebuilding, and that work can now happen promptly and at no cost to homeowners — the same process used after the Marshall Fire.
"I thank the President for approving Colorado's Public Assistance request to provide help for our communities to recover and rebuild, and FEMA for working with the state as we submitted our application," Polis said.
With the Public Assistance portion of Colorado's disaster declaration now approved, the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will work closely with FEMA, local governments and affected communities to put the funding to use in impacted areas.
Polis said Colorado's request for Individual Assistance — federal aid that goes directly to disaster survivors, separate from the public infrastructure funding approved Thursday — is still under review, along with the state's Hazard Mitigation Grant Funding request.
"We appreciate the ongoing consideration of Colorado's Individual Assistance request, and hope that will also be approved soon," Polis said.
Polis thanked Colorado's full bipartisan congressional delegation, along with local leaders, elected officials, first responders, utility providers, business owners, nonprofit organizations, homeowners and disaster survivors who supported the request.
"Colorado made a strong bipartisan case for this declaration, and I am deeply appreciative of everyone who has worked together on behalf of these affected communities to help Coloradans in our time of need," Polis said.
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