Willow and Hearth

The federal government approved a major disaster declaration for four Colorado counties on September 1, 2026, unlocking rebuilding money for communities hit by a brutal stretch of wildfires, flooding, and mudslides this summer. The declaration, published in the Federal Register as disaster FEMA-4944-DR, covers Custer, Dolores, Ouray, and Pueblo counties for damage tied to an incident period running from June 27 through July 29, 2026.

Key Points

• FEMA disaster declaration FEMA-4944-DR covers Custer, Dolores, Ouray, and Pueblo counties, per the Federal Register.
• The Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires, plus subsequent flooding and mudslides, burned more than 140,000 acres and destroyed the homes of over 300 homeowners, according to KRDO.
• The declaration currently covers Public Assistance only — money for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and infrastructure repair — not direct payments to individual homeowners.
• Individual Assistance for Pueblo and Custer county residents, which could fund temporary housing and home repairs, is still pending federal approval.
• Physical damage loan applications through the declaration are due November 1, 2026.

The distinction between Public Assistance and Individual Assistance matters a lot for the families who actually lost their houses. This declaration funds local governments, tribal entities, and certain private nonprofits to clear debris, repair roads and public buildings, and fund emergency response costs. It does not, on its own, send a check to a homeowner whose house burned in Beulah or Rye. That broader Individual Assistance designation, which could unlock temporary housing help and home repair funding for residents of Pueblo and Custer counties, is still working its way through the approval process, according to KRDO’s reporting.

Colorado’s congressional delegation welcomed the approval as a first step. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper said in statements released through Governor Jared Polis’s office that the funding would help the four counties rebuild after the wildfires, and Congressman Jeff Hurd, who represents the district, said the money would go toward clearing debris, repairing infrastructure, and beginning the rebuilding process. Ouray County Commissioner Jake Niece added that emergency disaster assistance shouldn’t be treated as a political football.

Debris removal is the immediate priority before anyone can start rebuilding or even list a damaged property for sale. State officials have said that work is expected to begin within the next month to six weeks and take roughly two months to finish. For the hundreds of families still waiting on word about individual assistance, this declaration is progress, but it’s not yet the help that puts a new roof over their heads.