Impacts to La Plata, Archuleta, and Mineral Counties 

Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet led his colleagues Colorado U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and Colorado U.S. Representatives Jeff Hurd, Jeff Crank, Jason Crow, Lauren Boebert, Joe Neguse, Gabe Evans, Brittany Pettersen, and Diana DeGette in support of Governor Jared Polis’ appeal to President Donald Trump’s decision to deny Major Disaster Declarations for the Lee and Elk Fires in August 2025 and the Southwest Colorado flooding in October 2025.  

“The State’s appeal underscores a critical and urgent reality: without federal assistance to stabilize river channels and repair damaged infrastructure, these communities face a cycle of repeated flooding and recurring losses. Failure to address the underlying damage now will virtually guarantee continued destruction during future high-water events, increasing costs to taxpayers while placing residents, businesses, and local economies at ongoing risk. Federal assistance at this stage is not only necessary for recovery, it is essential to prevent foreseeable and preventable damage from disasters in the years ahead,” wrote the lawmakers. 

The Lee and Elk Fires burned for 27 days in August 2025 and affected more than 150,000 acres. These fires caused widespread destruction to homes, rangeland, transportation infrastructure, and critical energy infrastructure, with FEMA validations of more than $27 million in damages.  

In October 2025, La Plata, Archuleta, and Mineral Counties’ record-breaking rainfall caused catastrophic flooding, debris flows, and channel instability. Many homes, businesses, wastewater systems, roads, and drinking water infrastructure sustained extensive damage, with FEMA confirming more than $13.8 million in damages.  

In their letter, the lawmakers emphasize that both the Lee and Elk Fires and flooding in Southwest Colorado meet the statutory and practical criteria for a Major Disaster Declaration as well as FEMA’s administrative and legal threshold for federal assistance. They demand urgent action in the face of President Trump’s decision to deny the people of Western Colorado the Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation programs that are indispensable to recovery, mitigation, and long-term resilience. The consequences of continued denial will be severe, long-lasting, and far more costly if left unaddressed.  

“We respectfully urge you to reconsider your initial denials and approve Governor Polis’s appeals for Major Disaster Declarations for the Lee and Elk Fires and the Southwest Colorado flooding. Doing so will help protect communities, reduce future federal and local costs, and ensure that rural Coloradans are not left to shoulder the financial burden of disaster recovery alone,” concluded the lawmakers. 

  The lawmakers previously sent letters in support of Governor Polis’ initial requests for Major Disaster Declarations for the Lee and Elk Fires and Southwest Colorado flooding.