On December 30, 2021, shortly before 10:30 am, the city of Boulder and its surrounding communities were alerted to two fires burning in south Boulder County. Seemingly inconsequential considering their location, the Marshall Fire and Middle Fork Fire were burning east and there was plenty of open space between the fires and homes to keep residents of the nearby towns and municipalities safe and out of danger. The major problem, however, was the wind.
All day and into the night, the winds were high, at times gusting to over 110 miles per hour. The result was a fast-moving grassland fire that took full advantage of the elements and roared to a crescendo while causing mandatory evacuations in Superior, Louisville, and Broomfield. A disaster in the making, the Marshall Fire took hold, and no one could have imagined or even predicted how fast and how far the fire spread in so little time. What was originally thought to be an isolated blaze in the highlands turned into one of the most devastating wildfires in Colorado history, with more than 1,000 homes destroyed. But this unreal destruction wasn’t the whole story.
Resilient Community
The real story—the one that rekindles our faith in humanity—was of a community coming together to find each other through helping hands, volunteers, and community outreach organizations, all looking to assist our displaced families, homeowners, and neighbors who were experiencing profound loss. The outpouring of instant action and support from the surrounding communities was amazing. Websites popped up sharing photos of animals lost and found, stalwart agencies addressing the most immediate physical needs came into play, and then there was the community stepping up to help, turning to social media to offer their homes, belongings, and a shoulder to lean on. Supporters sprung up everywhere spurred on by the desire to mitigate the suffering and assist those they only just met who lost homes and who were forced into short- or long-term residence while they processed the devastation that just befell them.
Stories from LIV Sotheby’s International Realty Community
Marie Jacobs, a Boulder real estate broker and resident in the evacuation zone, has a personal connection to those affected by the fires. Along with her husband and 14-year-old twin sons, she was forced to flee due to the fire’s unpredictable nature as the winds became stronger and the fire grew larger. According to Marie, “We had not gotten the evacuation call and neighbors were all gathering, knocking on doors. At 2:30 pm, my husband heard the popping sounds of fire behind our house. We could not see fire, just heavy smoke, but it was clear, it was very close.”
Fortunately, Marie’s family made it out safely and their home was spared, although there was the immediate challenge of finding housing and other basic survival needs while city officials assessed the level of damage to the area. Immediately, doors opened all around, as people throughout the community showed an outpouring of generosity, offering up a spare bed, a hot meal, and emotional support that gave everyone affected a much-needed boost of hope.
Marie was deeply moved by the overwhelming generosity she witnessed, including clients who offered their properties to fire victims for the months they were away. She began her own relief efforts, working with local entrepreneurs inspired to help, bringing their various talents together to make a difference. Coordinating the resources, donations, and many volunteers who offered to lend a helping hand, her group was able to connect a vast amount of inventory (valued at near $2 million) and much of it was brand-new to fire victims. Marie’s volunteer efforts, along with other locals, went on for nine weeks. Marie explains her connection to this group of volunteers, “We were strangers when we met the first week of January and now we are family. The group still emails every week asking when they can help again – everyone wants to continue to support the community.”
Chris Angelovic is a Boulder native and real estate broker serving the communities affected by the Marshall Fire. With first-hand experience helping friends who were affected by prior disasters in California and Colorado, he understood how the recent fires affected people’s everyday lives. “Small things and daily needs along with the important things all need attention, support, and care,” he explained. Regarding his role in helping folks through the Marshall fire, “I’ve done my best to stay in contact with friends and clients impacted so I can help in any way possible—sometimes that means help regarding real estate and sometimes it means bringing them a meal or looking into which donation site is offering new furniture.”
Housing Outlook for Boulder County
Anthony Meisner, advisor at Land Title Guarantee Company, offers some insights into the local housing market and how this recent fire has affected real estate. According to him, there are “approximately 140,000 homes in Boulder County, and just over 1,000 homes were affected by the fire. Fortunately, that means that the supply of homes has been reduced by less than 1%.” Realistically, Boulder County has had a housing shortage that’s lasted over a decade, so it may not be surprising that the shortage will continue to make finding a home a challenging enterprise. But as Meisner says, “This is the greatest sellers’ market that has ever existed. In Boulder County, it’s prudent to act sooner rather than later.”
“Within three years, the burned down homes will start being re-built, but it may take 10 years for the lots to come back to their pre-fire levels,” says Meisner. The real impact of the fire will be seen across the landscape as people decide whether to re-build or just find a new home in the area.
Ultimately, the Boulder County community will eventually adjust and heal from the circumstances caused by the fires. Houses will be rebuilt, new approaches to fire mitigation will be addressed, and people will continue to come together to assist and rally around one another. With a real estate market prime for sellers, the potential uptick in seller activity from people choosing to take that long-awaited vacation, move out of the area, or retire, Boulder County’s housing market will continue to evolve and grow.