Grass Fires Rip Through Boulder County Neighborhoods, Burn Homes

By Newsline staff, Colorado Newsline

December 30, 2021

Fast-moving and destructive grass fires in Boulder County on Thursday prompted Gov. Jared Polis to declare a state of emergency.

Emergency personnel responded to two main fires, the Marshall Fire, straddling U.S. 36 just southeast of Boulder, and the Middle Fork Fire, just north of Boulder around North Foothills Highway and Middle Fork Road.

The Marshall Fire at 1,600 acres forced the evacuation of Superior and Louisville, which together are home to more than 30,000 residents. Avista Adventist Hospital in Louisville announced it was evacuating patients and staff shortly after 4 p.m. Video and photos from witnesses in the area showed harrowing scenes of burning structures and ferocious flames whipped by winds that reached up to 110 mph. Boulder Sheriff Joe Pelle said hundreds of homes are lost.

A map of evacuation areas for the Marshall Fire in Boulder County on the afternoon of Dec. 30, 2021. The red area is under evacuation order. The yellow area is under evacuation warning. Click the map for the latest version.

The governor’s declaration means emergency funds can be used for response efforts and makes available state resources, such as the Colorado National Guard.

The Boulder Office of Emergency Management is providing updates on evacuations and other fire information.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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