Kristy Shue’s grandparents arrived in Colorado City more than a century ago to create a family ranch.

Shue grew up in the city and moved back with her husband Cody and their two young children last year.

On Friday morning, the family sat on the other side of Pueblo County and watched as the Aspen Acres fire continued to threaten the area. Their home is north of Beckwith Reservoir, directly between Colorado City and the edge of the fire.

Shue heard from friends that smaller fires were popping up in the area, but there was no way to tell whether their home had been damaged by the flames.

“You just watch the skies and pray that it doesn’t get dark. As it does get dark, you pray it’s not your home or the ones of the people you love. Then you lower your expectations even more and pray it’s going to be over someday. Someday, there won’t be smoke in the air and devastation in our hearts,” Shue said. 

Shue received a call Monday from her friend Joshua MacLeod, who lives near Rye. In a matter of hours, what started as small fire in the Aspen Acres area north of Rye rapidly grew and triggered mandatory evacuations. Shue drove up to help move as many of the MacLeod’s personal items and animals down to Colorado City as possible.

The MacLeods stayed with the Shues on Monday night before they continued farther from the fire to Pueblo. On Wednesday, they returned the favor by helping the Shues evacuate with their livestock and belongings.

The Shues and MacLeods are just one example of the community overlap between the towns on the west side of Pueblo County.

“There are so many group chats, and everybody seems to have been able to find out quickly where they need to be at the best times,” MacLeod said of the evacuations.

The authorities put in place partial evacuations for Colorado City on Wednesday as the Aspen Acres fire grew. By Friday, all of Colorado City was under a mandatory evacuation.

Shue said that not all of their animals were able to get out. Their chickens were left at a friend’s property. Even if the birds survive the fire, it could be days before anyone is able to check on them.

Shue said that for an area that has a deep history of agriculture, it was hard to imagine how ranchers would adapt to the aftermath of the fire.

“It’s an important way of life here. Agriculture is sustaining our lives and now they are all displaced and it’s hard to think about all of that,” Shue said.