Fire chief Michael Schmitt is bumping down an unpaved road west of Boulder, barely wide enough for his SUV. He’s headed toward the dead end of County Road 83, where — behind a metal gate, behind tree trunks blackened in the Fourmile Canyon fire — a narrow dirt road is cut into the mountainside. If […]
Marshall Fire
Posted inNews
Boulder County officials propose fire-resistant requirements for homes in eastern grassy plains
New homes in eastern Boulder County would be required to meet tougher fire-resistant construction requirements under proposed changes sparked by the disastrous Marshall fire. Members of Boulder County’s Board of Review outlined their plan at a public meeting Wednesday, focusing on the grassy flatlands of the county that have not seen many devastating wildfires but […]
Posted inHousing, News, Wildfire
Louisville allows Marshall fire victims to rebuild under older, less-stringent codes
LOUISVILLE — The Louisville City Council voted Tuesday night in favor of allowing residents whose homes were significantly damaged or destroyed in the Marshall fire, Colorado’s most destructive wildfire, to rebuild under less-stringent environmental standards. The council voted 5-2 to allow affected residents to rebuild under the city’s 2018 codes instead of the 2021 codes. […]
Posted inNews
Lawsuit alleges Xcel Energy power line sparked Marshall fire
The first lawsuit filed in connection with the Marshall fire, which destroyed over 1,000 homes and other buildings in Boulder County, claims that sparks from a power line started December’s blaze. The lawsuit filed Thursday against Xcel Energy says that its power lines and equipment were a “substantial factor” in the cause, origin and continuation […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
State Rep. Amabile and Sens. Fenberg and Rankin: Filing a wildfire insurance claim shouldn’t be another trauma
Many Coloradans who lost their homes and all of their personal belongings in fire disasters are living another nightmare as they seek reimbursement from their homeowner’s insurance policies. Most of these folks chose policies based on what their mortgage holder required and insurance agent recommended. They paid their premiums in good faith, some for decades. […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
State Reps. Holtorf, Pelton, Will and Catlin: The Republican plan for wildfire relief
In January, the Marshall fire swept through Boulder County destroying more than 1,000 homes and displacing the lives of thousands of Coloradans. While this disaster brought national attention to the threat of wildfires destroying homes, property, and lives, the people of Colorado are not strangers to the hazards of uncontrolled fires. For years, rural Coloradans […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Federal investments in science are needed to reduce wildfire
It used to be that October marked the end of wildfire season, and the most destructive fires occurred in or around forested areas. But increasingly, more Americans experience the impacts of wildfires year-round. In 2021, nearly 50,000 wildfires were reported, which burned over seven million acres of land. And as we saw with the Marshall […]
Posted inNews, Wildfire
Louisville burned down Dec. 30. The city manager started the next day.
LOUISVILLE — Jeffrey Durbin was a private citizen living in a fifth floor apartment in Denver when he looked through his windows and saw smoke rising to the north. The next morning, he showed up at 7:30 a.m. for his first day as city manager in Louisville — ground zero of the Marshall fire. “I’ve […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Housing, News
Colorado’s pandemic housing-assistance program now open to non-pandemic applicants
State and local resources have provided housing aid to many victims of the devastating Marshall fire in Boulder County. But another barely touched pot of money comes from an unlikely source: federal COVID relief funds. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which pays up to 15 months of rent for those experiencing pandemic income loss, has […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Zornio: High-performance homes are the smart rebuild choice for Marshall fire victims
Two months after the Marshall fire burned through nearly 1,100 homes and structures in Boulder County, impacted residents now face the daunting task of rebuilding. Amid much uncertainty, many are finding hope in the prospect of building back better. “My family and I lost our home in the Marshall fire,” said Louisville resident Susan Nedell. […]