Marshall Fire
The Marshall Fire was a fire that started on December 30, 2021, shortly before 10:30 a.m. MST, as a grass fire in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. In terms of structures lost, it is the most destructive fire in Colorado history. Background. An unusually humid spring with above average growth of the grass due to the wet conditions, followed by an unusually warm and dry summer and fall created ideal conditions for wildfires. Additionally, high winds were recorded in the area, with gusts of up to 115 miles per hour. The winds were driven by the mountain wave  effect, and allowed for rapid spread of the fire. Effects of the high winds were also observed on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, where downed branches and trees were reported. Cause. On January 2, 2022, Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle reported that fire investigators identified a neighborhood by State Highway 93 and Marshall Road as the origin of the fire, but have not yet determined an exact origin or cause. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office also confirmed that deputies have received tips and executed a search warrant regarding the source of the fire. Initial reports stated that the  Marshall Fire may have been caused by downed power lines, but a survey conducted by Xcel Energy found no downed power lines in the area where the fire started. A later news report showed that the source of the Marshall Fire may have been a burning shed at Hwy. 93 and 170, rather than downed power lines. The structure was owned by Twelve Tribes, a fringe Christian sect founded in the 1970s. Three weeks after the fire, underground fires in abandoned coal mines also emerged as a possible source. Spread of fire. The Marshall Fire was first reported to 911  on 30 December 2021 at the intersection of Colorado 93 and Marshall Road around 11:00 AM. The first firefighting unit was present on the scene within 4 minutes after the dispatch. The initial responding unit was not able to identify the fire location for 9 minutes after arrival. Once the fire location was identified by the unit, high winds had already started to rapidly spread the fire. Three minutes after finding the fire, it was determined out of control and additional units were called to assist. At 11:44 the fire chief called for reverse 911 call to order evacuation of  residents 2 miles downwind of the fire. By noon the fire had reached the town of Superior, three miles to the east, prompting people to escape the stores there. Within another hour the first evacuations had been ordered of tens of thousands of people starting with the town of Superior and later the cities of Louisville, Broomfield, and unincorporated Boulder County. Wind gusts of were reported, and the fire extent was an estimated by 5:00 p.m. and had increased to by 10:00 a.m. on December 31. On the night of December 31 – January 1, heavy snowfall put an end to  the fire. Evacuations. Evacuation orders were issued for Louisville, Superior, and portions of Broomfield. Other portions of Broomfield, along with portions of Lafayette, Arvada, and Westminster were issued pre-evacuation orders. Impact. As of the evening of January 1, 2022, an estimated 1084 structures, including houses, a hotel and at least one shopping center, had burned as a result of the rapidly spreading Marshall Fire, and another 149 damaged. Less than 12 hours after igniting, the fire surpassed the 2013 Black Forest Fire as the state's most destructive in terms of structures lost. In response to the fires, Governor  Jared Polis declared a state of emergency around 3:15 p.m. MST on the day of the outbreak and ordered a ground delay at Denver International Airport. The Colorado Department of Transportation closed multiple lanes and roadways as a result of crashes and the fires themselves; U.S. Route 36 was closed in both directions from Boulder to Broomfield and a portion of Colorado State Highway 470 was closed entirely near Morrison. Safety warnings were also issued for travelers on a stretch of Interstate 70 between Golden and Georgetown and Colorado State Highway 93 was temporarily closed for 40 minutes in the  late morning. Victims. Six burn injuries were confirmed in Boulder County. The two who perished were man from Marshall identified as Robert Sharpe, 69, and a woman identified as Nadine Turnbull, 91. Recovery. For those affected by the fires, Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman announced that the Colorado Chamber was united to help members and all local businesses and residents impacted by the fire. The Northwest Chamber Alliance created a website that centralized resources for businesses for federal and state aid, local resources, and donation information. U.S. president Joe Biden responded to the fire by permitting the Federal  Emergency Management Agency to assist.