For the latest information, visit the Boulder County Office of Emergency Management.
5:00PM: Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle announces that “hundreds” of structures have been destroyed in wind-driven wildfires that broke out in southern Boulder County today.
The entire towns of Superior and Louisville, roughly 30,000 people, have been evacuated.
NOW: As many as 600 homes have burned in the wildfire east of Boulder.
— Jesse Aaron Paul ☀ (@JesseAPaul) December 31, 2021
Superior and Louisville are under evac orders,, and it's smoky and ashy as hell here in Broomfield. Gotta go finish packing the bug-out bags in case it gets here.
We had to evacuate, but we’re at the far north east of Louisville so I think my house is safe.
the roads out were packed. And the hotel we got to had a line of people from The area coming in.
not fun.
Our house is barely outside the evac zone now. And ring cameras show. So we’re heading home.
All good at our house except – no gas. So using space heaters.
Glad your home made it!
Yay! That's the best news I've heard all day.
Highway 93 to Golden is closed due to wind and toppled vehicles. Wind gusts were being reported at 110 mph. Blocked evacuation route.
Broomfield County's interactive map is here.
Boulder County expanded its "Evacuation Warning" area quite a bit south … looks like it is down as far as Highway 93 & 82nd, then east to Alkire St. & 80th.
600 homes in two small neighborhoods in Superior. There are fires all across Louisville. That number could easily double or more. Plus a Target, a hotel, the Louisville rec center, and undoubtably more businesses.
Please stay safe, David, Genghis and all — and just get the hell out for the evening if you’re close, please. One family from around Lafayette is here with me now, and I’m wishing my other in far west Broomfield was here, also!
The one clear lesson from this, and from California these past two years, is that these major fires move faster and more unpredictably than people imagine. This is a not a time for wishful thinking, it’s a time to make sure you’re in a place of safety until things are well under control!
I have family in Boulder, so far, north of the wildfires. But the air is horrible, and the southern roads are blocked so some have been stranded for hours. Praying for snow or at least cool air and moisture tomorrow.
An unbelievable tragedy. So many thousands impacted. Stay safe, any and all affected Polsters.
We have safely evacuated to Westcliffe. Our home in superior appears to be intact at moment (based on my ability to interact with alarm system via my phone) but is very much in danger. A lot of our friends have offered to help us already.
The Colorado GOP quickly declared the fires to be a hoax and fake news.
Oh, be fair. Republican legislators immediately called for a special session to pass emergency tax cuts for Coloradans earning more than $500,000 a year to help them rebuild their mcmansions.
"The Colorado GOP quickly declared the fires to be a hoax and fake news."
But they will simultaneously say that it is Polis and Biden's environmental policies that have caused the fire.
Think of it as Schrodinger's cat on fire. Or not.
If there’s a silver lining, it’s that people will be pulling together as one community. First responders don’t ask about political affiliation when they fight a fire at your house or help people to evacuate; people don’t specify “only to those of ——— political party” when donating for wildfire relief.( and please do that).
Given the ethical abyss that is the modern GOP, there will be those who try to politicize it. At least we no longer have the former guy advising forest raking.
"At least we no longer have the former guy advising forest raking."
Oh that's right. I forgotten that nugget from the dude who was definitely not the Science Guy.
Best thing we can do in the long run is lower the temperature of the planet. It costs too much to keep rebuilding after a devastating natural disaster. Hopefully people are going to come to that realization.
I do like your optimism kw. Americans can and should pull together when confronted by a common crisis. Policy differences pale compared to our mutual need and support for each other. I am my brothers keeper and they are mine.
Evac zones stayed west of 287 and have reduced in size. We're still here, but also still packed and ready to bail at a moment's notice.
Best wishes to David, Elliot and any other polsters whose homes may be in harm's way.
May I add that those of us on the left slope are pulling for you. What an unfortunate situation.
The cameraman in the helicopter with Gov Polis gets my vote for most incompetent cameraman in Colorado.
Really, keep the camera on Polis’ face instead of out the window?
Perhaps they were shooting footage for a '22 campaign commercial.
Well if Polis needs a shot of the socks he wore that day – mission accomplished.
Didn't even do a good job of that.
The one I watched was 38 minutes and I just skipped past the profile shots. The thing about those aerial photos is it showed just how destructive this fire was. The houses are burnt to the foundations. The fire consumed entire structures for blocks. A forest fire can skip around depending on the winds and crowning in the trees. This looked like a tsunami of flames that just rolled over everything.
It really is ridiculous what people are concerned about and what they focus on. I suppose if Biden were to give an address telling America that we are at war with Russia, Dave would be bitching about the mustard stain on Biden's tie. I doubt Polis told the videographer to focus exclusively on him. There are more consequential things to discuss among ourselves then some poor videography.
I will admit, if Biden is giving a speech and the camera zooms in on a mustard stain on his tie – I'd bitch about that 🙂
Guilty as charged then of being distracted by minutiae (I always have to look that one up) and frivolous points while ignoring the bigger picture.
And so you did not pay any attention to the fly on Pence's face during the debate?
BOULDER OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT update, 11:30 am Dec 31
I'm astonished to read coverage of the news conference and see
* no fatalities
* no unresolved missing person reports.
* varying accounts ranging from "no injuries" to "6 treated for burns" — and nothing more.
There is a kennel right where it all started, Dog Tags. We use it – wonderful people.
They had no warning and had to let 20 of the dogs run free as they could only get so many in the car and had to go immediately.
All of the dogs have been recovered. Not only no human deaths, but no deaths of pets either (as far as we know). For how fast this hit – that's amazing.
If people affected by the fire do need a place to park their pets until they figure things out, they can contact the Foothills shelter: https://foothillsanimalshelter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Press-Release-Boulder-County-Fire-.pdf
I just learned that a fellow I used to work with, and sort of mentored, lost his home. I know that convincing him to accept some monetary help will be tough. But I'll try
From friends who went through a Santa Rosa California fire — money is sometimes necessary and proper, but they were relatively well insured and had resources of their own. What they wished for was someone to take on the tasks of filling out (varied) reports and applications — nearly identical info, and every one insistent on having every bit of "their" form filled out.
Community Foundation of Boulder County has a wildfire fund. One can send a check or give on line.
1123 Spruce St., Boulder CO 80302.
http://www.commfound.org
The Boulder Emergency Operations Center is closing each night. I don’t think they understand the meaning of the word emergency.
My house survived. Fire stopped on other side of major street from our HOA so it was a very close call. So far can’t find anything wrong except no heat (but I can use space heaters if I am physically in the home) or internet and we have to boil water. I’ll live with those relatively minor problems and count myself lucky.
I am glad to hear you and your family…and your home, are safe and unharmed.
We can get back to arguing later, but for now…
Thanks Elliot. It's good to hear your property was undamaged. The recovery for those less fortunate is going to be a difficult phase in their lives. Hopefully we all have some compassion for their situation including Rand Paul. Stay safe.
Congrats on your good fortune, Elliott and Genghis.
For those less lucky, Polsters please consider contributing to the Boulder County Wildfire Fund through Colorado Gives.
Great news!
Sounds like you’re still not able to be in the home full time? Keep an eye on inside temps, everywhere. Until you’re completely comfortable with how cold it might get, may I suggest just shutting off your water at the main, and doing a complete plumbing winterization?:
Open all the lines so that they drain. Pour antifreeze (get pet safe) down every drain (sink, shower, tub), and toilet (also drain the toilet tanks and add some antifreeze and flush that through). Give consideration to draining your hot water heater.
And, then just rely on bottled water or jugs filled from a safe source somewhere for everything, until you can get back in, with regular home heating, full time.
Finding plumbers now, and repairing freeze damage, is going to be a nightmare.
Update today …
3 missing (and the Sheriff says there will be a search with dogs… NOT a good sign).
"At least 991 homes and other buildings were destroyed, Pelle said: 553 in Louisville, 332 in Superior and 106 in unincorporated parts of the county. Pelle cautioned that the tally was not final."
Further details at regular briefings … 2 pm every day.
One of the three was located and alive.
We got our gas turned back on! Civilization – love it!!
The people out doing the work are great. The dispatchers not so much – the line people are on the phone begging them to be able to turn the gas back on for all the townhouses. And then they all have to wait while dispatch will get back to them on if they can do the other units.
Bad news – Lauren Boehbert is still a Colorado US Representative. So much for civilization.
Glad your life is getting a bit more normal, though.
The internet has known for awhile, but the media is finally clued in to the fact that the fire started on property owned by that ghastly 12 Tribes cult. No work yet on whether dumbassery by cultists caused the fire, but that would be far from surprising.