 Fires Rage Across Western Slope
Lightning sparked the Lee and Elk fires in Rio Blanco County on Aug. 2. Both grew rapidly as hot, dry, and windy weather induced extreme fire behavior and helped ignite several other fires on the Western Slope.
In just a few days, the two fires exceeded a combined 30,000 acres. Wildfire smoke took a statewide toll, hampering visibility and air quality as far as the Front Range.
Authorities ordered several evacuations, including a rare prison evacuation in Rifle, and Gov. Jared Polis issued disaster declarations to support response efforts.
Rainfall contributed to sizeable containment gains. By Aug. 16, firefighters fully contained the 14,518-acre Elk Fire, and in early September, the Lee Fire reached 100% containment at 137,758 acres—making it the fifth-largest wildfire in Colorado’s history, just 2 acres smaller than the fourth-largest Hayman Fire.
On Dec. 20, the Trump administration rejected Polis’ requests for federal funding to support recovery from the fires, which caused more than $27 million in estimated damages.
Trump Moves U.S. Space Command
In a Sept. 2 press conference, President Trump announced that U.S. Space Command will relocate to Huntsville, Alabama, reversing the Biden-era decision to keep it permanently headquartered in Colorado Springs.
The decision faced widespread pushback in Colorado. In a rare bipartisan statement, the state’s congressional delegation warned the move puts national security at risk and would harm both Colorado and the nation, writing, “We are united in fighting to reverse this decision.”
In October, Attorney General Phil Weiser filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the move, arguing it was politically motivated and unconstitutional. That lawsuit is still pending.
The process to transfer the command is expected to take years. While contested, it potentially ends a four-year dispute between the two states over the location of Space Command, whose annual economic impact is estimated at $1 billion.
Evergreen Shooting Shocks Community
On Sept. 10, 16-year-old Desmond Holly opened fire with a revolver at Evergreen High School in Jefferson County, critically wounding two students before taking his own life.
Matthew Silverstone, 18, suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest. He underwent multiple surgeries and left the hospital Oct. 14, now able to walk with assistance and speak. A 14-year-old victim, whose identity has not been made public, was released from the hospital in good condition on Sept. 30.
The high school of fewer than 1,000 students closed for weeks following the attack, initiating a gradual return plan based on student, family, and staff feedback in late September.
Though authorities never identified a clear motive in the shooting, investigators believe Holly had been “radicalized.” A report by the Anti-Defamation League found he had been exposed to extremist content online and possibly adopted neo-Nazi ideology.
The shooting renewed Colorado’s gun violence debate, as some state Democrats called for stricter gun laws in the wake of the tragedy.
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