Wildfires in Northern Colorado are beginning to stray from the mountains and into residential areas.
Aria Marizza | Colorado State University Journalism
If you’ve lived in Larimer County for at least a year, you should be pretty well aware of the wildfire season that causes havoc in the foothills and mountains every year, but never really posed too much of a threat on residential areas and cities. Unfortunately, due to climate change predictions and the growth of cities, wildfires are predicted to cause serious damage to more populated areas, and residents should prepare and stay informed more than ever.
In the past, wildfires in Northern Colorado have shown some devastating fires, including the Cameron Peak fire bringing intense orange-tinted smog, ash rain, and visible flames seen from miles away. However, one fire in the past year has shown a completely different trajectory for wildfires in Northern Colorado.
The devastating Marshall fire that spread in the towns of Superior, Louisville, and Lafayette in Boulder County had destroyed upwards of 1,700 homes. Rather than a wildfire starting in and affecting areas deep in the mountains, the Marshall fire had started and affected residential areas located miles away from the mountains.
This phenomenon is unfortunately not a one-and-done freak event, but one that residents should be aware of and prepare for in the future. With a warmer and drier climate that has been occurring the past few years, it is expected that there will be an increase in more frequent and more intense fires in populated areas in the American west. Not only this, but the typical wildfire season in Northern Colorado, late summer and early fall, doesn’t entirely apply anymore. Across the west, wildfire season has expanded into the spring, and the winter season didn’t seem to stop the Marshall fire from destroying homes in Boulder County.
Cities along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and even further out east including Fort Collins, Greeley, Wellington, Loveland, and Longmont are expected to have at least twice the percentage of homes at risk for wildfires by 2052. Even some zip codes having a staggering prediction of 90 percent of homes in the area at risk.
Preparing and planning for wildfire emergencies will continue to grow in importance in the next couple of decades for Northern Colorado residents. Kai Martin, a resident in Louisville and student at CU Boulder reached out to talk about how important it is to be prepared, have a plan, and stay informed.
“My family and I live in Louisville and never worried about wildfires reaching us, because even though we’re in the foothills area, we aren’t located nearly as close to the mountains as Boulder, and we had a false sense of safety because I always thought wildfires just stayed deep in the mountains.”
He expressed how his family never talked about steps they should take in case of an emergency, and in the event of their evacuation, they panicked.
“We just rushed out of the house and grabbed what we could and wasted a lot of time running around frantically. Because we wasted so much time freaking out, not knowing what to do, and being caught off-guard, we couldn’t find and save my cat by the time our house was completely burned to the ground.”
Kai, his family, and thousands of residents in the area struggled to rebuild back to normal and mourning the loss of their things, pets, and homes.
As wildfires occurring in residential areas will become more common of a phenomenon, it’s crucial for residents to stay informed and prepared to ensure their safety. There are a multitude of resources and ways that residents can stay informed and prepared in case of an emergency. NOCO Alert is a great way for residents to have access to up-to-date and accurate information. Sitting down and having a plan with your family in case of an emergency is important as well to ensure a quick evacuation process. No matter how you want to prepare, it’s become essential for residents in the Northern Colorado area to do so.
