On December 30, fires in suburban Boulder County began spreading rapidly, eventually burning around 6,200 acres in Louisville, Denver, and Boulder neighborhoods. Many homes were left without power, and debris and snow have made it difficult to rebuild. Some face the challenge of having to start all over after having their houses destroyed by the fires.
Kathe Perez, a Louisville resident who lost her home in the fire, said “I have high optimism. Everyone says you can’t imagine this happening to you. But when it’s right in front of you, we’re built for this. You can only do the next thing. But first, rebuild it.”
Unfortunately, rebuilding is never easy and will likely take years. It took Colorado Springs almost seven years to rebuild after a 2012 fire. Additionally, these fires support scientists’ claims that wildfires will become more extreme and common even in places that don’t have a fire season. Other factors like the pandemic and supply chain issues add to rebuilding time.
Lumber has been in short supply since 2020 as well. This is due to wildfires in lumber-producing countries such as Canada and labor shortages within sawmills. A shortage of this essential building material will exacerbate the already difficult situation.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers Individual Assistance Programs that provide federal assistance for those impacted by the fire. These programs assist with the distribution of emergency supplies, crisis counseling assistance, disaster unemployment assistance, and households that are uninsured or underinsured.
There is also a multitude of behavioral health resources that are easily accessible, such as Colorado Crisis Services, that allow people to speak with a professional counselor about personal problems. The Jewish Family Service and Community Foundation Boulder County are working to provide financial aid for counseling sessions as well.
Natural disasters can cause survivors to experience mental and emotional complications. These reactions include anxiety, depression, irritability, substance abuse, changes to interpersonal relationships and behavior, PTSD, and compassion fatigue. Children, people with preexisting mental illness, and first responders and recovery workers are most at risk for these effects.
Abby Hart (‘21), a freshman at the University of Colorado Boulder, says that “the fires were really traumatic… a lot of my friends live in Boulder or close nearby, and a lot of them had to evacuate. It’s hard to watch something and not be able to do anything to help.”
Individually, people can help by donating. CU Boulder has a fundraiser for those who have lost their homes. Many students are also getting involved by taking in donations like clothes, food, and hygiene items.
Hart also says that it would be a big help to send donations to public fundraisers. “This is a great way to chip in to help the displaced families,” she explains. One fundraiser people can donate to is the Boulder County Wildfire Fund, run by the Community Foundation Boulder County. Any money donated will be used to “disperse the funds to support those impacted.”
The degree of damage caused by the Marshall fire was unexpected, and there was no absolute way to prepare for such a large scale grass fire. But, Boulder and neighboring communities have enormous support and the area’s recovery is hopeful in the coming years.
