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A man wearing a mask inspects dust on his finger while opening the blinds
Peter Dente inspects a windowsill for residual ash that continues to seep through his house’s walls and foundation on April 18, 2023, more than a year after the Marshall Fire. The Dentes’ residence of nearly 30 years was the only one to remain standing out of almost a dozen surrounding houses, but is now uninhabitable due to the severity of ash and toxins that can’t be removed from its foundation and insulation. “We really wish the house had burned down. It would have been much easier on us,” Dente said. “They would have come in with a big dump truck, and a bulldozer would scrape it clean just the way they've done for the houses around us next door. And because of our insurance policy, whatever it costs — they would pay for.” (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
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Good morning from the snowy Mountain West!

This is how I’ve been for the last 48 hours: swinging between the reality of a stubborn Arctic blast at home and watching Southern California burn through your screen of choice. I’m sure many of you reading this can relate.

Here in Colorado, it’s hard to see the Palisades and other Los Angeles-area fires and not flash back to our own wind-whipped winter blaze, the Marshall fire. In the three years since the late-December fire stormed through Boulder County, we’ve seen the short- and long-term effects of these blazes uproot families and leave others struggling to stay healthy even when their homes didn’t burn (see Michael Booth’s story below for more on that).

With the likelihood of wildfire increasing across the West, what can you do to prepare? There are a few relatively easy things you can do right now.

While I would love to be able to promise that you’ll never need any of these things, the reality of our changing climate means that it’s more important than ever to be prepared.

Now that you’ve sent that note to your insurance agent and downloaded our app, let’s turn our attention back here to our chilly, snow-covered state and get into some news, shall we?

P.S. — Stay tuned to coloradosun.com (or the aforementioned Colorado Sun app) later today where we’ll be posting our annual annotated transcript of Gov. Jared Polis’ state of the state address where we can help you understand all of the context and references for the speech (here’s last year’s, to see what I mean). The address kicks off at 11 a.m. today, and our transcript won’t be far behind.

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Researchers from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences in Boulder set up air monitoring equipment in a home across the street from destroyed Marshall fire homes to check chemical levels after health complaints from residents. (CIRES photo)

In the wake of the destructive Marshall fire in 2021, CU researchers installed air monitoring equipment in homes near the burned areas to create what they call the first study of lived-in homes after a fire. And as Michael Booth reports, they found that toxic levels of air contamination remained for much longer than expected.

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An AR-15 style rifle is displayed at the Firing-Line indoor range and gun shop during the summer of 2012 in Aurora. (Alex Brandon, AP Photo, file)

On the first day of the 2025 legislative session, Democrats introduced Senate Bill 3, which would affect many pistols and rifles that are classified as semiautomatic weapons that can accept detachable magazines. Jesse Paul reports on the effect the legislation could have and the road ahead under the dome.

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife released five gray wolves onto public land in Grand County on Dec. 18, 2023. Pictured is wolf 2302-OR, a juvenile female from the Five Points pack in Oregon, weighing 68 pounds. (Jerry Neal, Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

Weeks before another 10 to 15 new wolves are set to be released on the Western Slope, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission denied a petition filed by ranchers in September to pause the program. Tracy Ross has more on the meeting the next steps for reintroduction.

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Rohan Mesto jumps on the trampoline in the backyard of his sponsor’s home in Lafayette on Dec. 5. (Natalie Kerr, Boulder Weekly)

Boulder Weekly’s Natalie Kerr brings us the story of how one refugee who found a place in Colorado through the State Department’s Welcome Corps program is navigating the fall of the Assad regime — and how the incoming administration could affect the program that found him a home.

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Longhorn cattle stroll up 17th Street from Denver Union Station in the parade to officially kick off the 118th National Western Stock Show on Jan. 4, 2024. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Western Stock Show. There is no surer sign of Stock Show season than watching 30 longhorn cattle amble down 17th Street in downtown Denver. The annual kickoff parade happens today, departing at 1 p.m. from Union Station, led by Grand Marshall Kathy Sabine, 9News chief meteorologist and former rodeo queen. (The start is delayed an hour from the usual noon step off because of the weather. Bundle up!)

And that is, of course, just the start. Over 16 days, from Jan. 11-26, the National Western Complex and Denver Coliseum host dozens of daily rodeos and rope shows, dog trials, donkey contests, and graceful dancing horses. Admission is free Tuesday (just be ready for big crowds), otherwise adult ticket prices range from $27-$34 for the day. Some special events are ticketed separately, so make sure you check the events ticketing page before you take off for PBR Bull Riding or the Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza.

Various prices; Jan.11-26; National Western Complex, 1515 E. 47th Ave., Denver

Thanks for sticking with us all the way to the bottom of today’s newsletter. Stay safe, stay warm and stay prepared. We’ll see you back here tomorrow to close out the week strong!

— Eric & the whole staff of The Sun

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