Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostJordan Hymes hugs her grandmother Nancy Grignon, left, as her grandfather Guy, right, looks towards their burned out subdivision in the Coal Creek Ranch neighborhood in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall fire on Dec. 31, 2021. Hymes and her family lost their home of ten years, while the Grignon's home was spared. The fire may have burned 1,000 homes and numerous business. The fast moving fire was stoked by extremely dry drought conditions and fierce winds, with gusts topping 100 mph along the foothills.
Eric Lutzens, The Denver PostCharred landscape and homes devastated by the Marshall fire in a Louisville subdivision to the south of Harper Lake on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostChris Salazar surveys the damage to homes that were burned to the ground in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in the aftermath of the Marshall Fire in Louisville on Dec. 31, 2021. The fire may have potentially burned 1000 homes and numerous business. The fast moving fire was stoked by extremely dry drought conditions and fierce winds, with gusts topping 100 mph, along the foothills.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostBurned street signs in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall fire on Dec. 31, 2021. The fire may have potentially burned 1000 homes and numerous business. The fast moving fire was stoked by extremely dry drought conditions and fierce winds, with gusts topping 100 mph, along the foothills.
Hart Van Denburg, CPR News, PoolAboard a Colorado National Guard helicopter, Gov. Jared Polis on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, gets a flyover tour of Boulder County neighborhoods destroyed by wildfires the previous day. He was accompanied by Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan, Adjutant General of Colorado, and Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse also toured the area in a separate helicopter.
Hart Van Denburg, CPR News, PoolAboard a Colorado National Guard helicopter, Gov. Jared Polis on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, gets a flyover tour of Boulder County neighborhoods destroyed by wildfires the previous day. He was accompanied by Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan, Adjutant General of Colorado, and Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse also toured the area in a separate helicopter.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostA man on a bike rides by burned homes in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall Fire on Dec. 31, 2021. The fire may have potentially burned 1000 homes and numerous business. The fast moving fire was stoked by extremely dry drought conditions and fierce winds, with gusts topping 100 mph, along the foothills.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostXcel Energy workers check for gas and electrical lines amidst the rubble of homes that are burned to the ground in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall fire on Dec. 31, 2021. The fire may have potentially burned 1000 homes and numerous business. The fast moving fire was stoked by extremely dry drought conditions and fierce winds, with gusts topping 100 mph, along the foothills.
Jack Bushong, left, and Ryan Albrecht, take photos of the burned area in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall fire on Dec. 31, 2021. The fire may have potentially burned 1000 homes and numerous business. The fast moving fire was stoked by extremely dry drought conditions and fierce winds, with gusts topping 100 mph, along the foothills. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Ron Mostek, a subcontractor for Xcel Energy, uses a utility locater to look for gas and electric lines amidst the rubble of homes that burned to the ground in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall fire on Dec. 31, 2021. The fire may have potentially burned 1000 homes and numerous business. The fast moving fire was stoked by extremely dry drought conditions and fierce winds, with gusts topping 100 mph, along the foothills. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostXcel Energy workers Christopher Hernandez, center and James Hernandez, right, use utility locaters to look for gas and electric lines amidst the rubble of homes that are burned to the ground in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall fire on Dec. 31, 2021.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostXcel Energy worker Christopher Hernandez, center, working around a completely burned out car, uses utility locaters to look for gas and electric lines amidst the rubble of homes that are burned to the ground in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall fire on Dec. 31, 2021.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostA man walks amid burned homes in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in the aftermath of the Marshall Fire in Louisville on Dec. 31, 2021.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostA firefighter clears the gutter so water can run down the street as they work on putting out hot spots at a home destroyed by the Marshall fire in Louisville on Dec. 31, 2021.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostA firefighter works the Marshall fire in Louisville on Dec. 31, 2021.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostA Golden Gate Fire Lt. surveys a burned out structure and fence on Cherrywood Lane near Cypress Lane in Louisville Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire, which was fueled by very high winds and destroyed over 500 houses.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostA homeowner places the American Flag on the back of his burned out truck on Cherrywood Lane near Cypress Lane in Louisville on Dec. 31, 2021. The homeowner, who declined to give his name, lost his home in the Marshall fire.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostA National Guard vehicles passes burned structures along North McCaslin Boulevard near Centennial Parkway in The Enclave on Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire, fueled by very high winds, destroyed over 500 houses.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostMembers of the National Guard stage at the incident command center, FlatIron Crossing Mall in response to the nearby Marshall Fire on Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire, fueled by very high winds, destroyed over 500 houses.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostA house smolders in the aftermath of the Marshall fire in Rock Creek above the Interlocken golf course in Superior on Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire, fueled by very high winds, destroyed over 500 houses the night before.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostPiotr Niedzwicki, left, hugs his roommate Jola Gaik on Dec. 31, 2021, after the two saw that their townhome was still standing after the Marshall fire swept through southern Boulder County the night before.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostChris Nicholson, with his cat Waffles, hikes back to their home in Rock Creek on Dec. 31, 2021, once Nicholson saw that his home was still standing after they evacuated the previous night as the Marshall fire raged.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostThe Element hotel in Superior, seen on Dec. 31, 2021, burned to the ground in the Marshall fire the night before.
Hart Van Denburg, CPR News, PoolAboard a Colorado National Guard helicopter, Gov. Jared Polis on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, gets a flyover tour of Boulder County neighborhoods destroyed by wildfires the previous day. He was accompanied by Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan, Adjutant General of Colorado, and Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse also toured the area in a separate helicopter.
Hart Van Denburg, CPR News, PoolAboard a Colorado National Guard helicopter, Gov. Jared Polis on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, gets a flyover tour of Boulder County neighborhoods destroyed by wildfires the previous day.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostPeople look at homes that continue to smolder in the Coal Creek Ranch subdivision in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall fire on Dec. 31, 2021. The fire may have potentially burned 1000 homes and numerous business. The fast moving fire was stoked by extremely dry drought conditions and fierce winds, with gusts topping 100 mph, along the foothills.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostBurned out homes continue to smolder along Cherrywood Lane near Cypress Lane in Louisville on Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire, which was fueled by very high winds, destroyed over 500 houses the night before.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostA trampoline sits among burned out structures along North McCaslin Boulevard near Centennial Parkway in Louisville on Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire, fueled by very high winds, destroyed over 500 houses the night before.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostA truck, destroyed by the Marshall fire in Louisville, is pictured on Dec. 31, 2021.
Andy Cross, The Denver PostA cyclist rides through a neighborhood littered with burned out homes and vehicles along North McCaslin Boulevard near Via Appia on Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire, fueled by very high winds, destroyed over 500 houses.
Noelle Phillips, The Denver PostBryan DiLaura is embraced by a friend outside his former townhome on Dec. 31, 2021. He and his roommate evacuated Thursday after his roommate spotted flames in their neighborhood while taking pictures on Davidson Mesa.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostMuch of the Coal Creek Ranch neighborhood in Louisville was destroyed in the Marshall fire, which swept through southern Boulder County on Dec. 30, 2021.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostPolice arrive to a home on Dillion Road in Louisville on Dec. 31, 2021, after reports that a man pull a gun on a firefighter near an area burned by the Marshall fire the night before.
Eric Lutzens, The Denver PostA basketball hoop remains standing while burned in the driveway of a home devastated by the Marshall fire in a Louisville subdivision to the south of Harper Lake on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Eric Lutzens, The Denver PostMelted tail lights adorn the rear of a car as it sits burned on the side of a street in front of a home devastated by the Marshall fire in a Louisville subdivision to the south of Harper Lake on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Eric Lutzens, The Denver PostScott Sherr carries a suitcase to his car after packing essential items from his home. He walks passed the charred remains of his friend's house on Mt. Evans Court in a Louisville subdivision to the south of Harper Lake on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Sherr's house was spared but has no electricity or water so they chose to stay with family in Colorado Springs.
Kathryn Scott, Special to The Denver PostJust over 100 evacuees from the Marshall Fire, like Austin Todd and his two dogs, ÒRoxyÓ and ÒWilcoÓ, spent the previous night at the YMCA of Northern Colorado on Dec. 31, 2021 in Lafayette. The fires erupted Thursday afternoon in the area as thousands were forced to evacuate their homes.
Kathryn Scott, Special to The Denver PostPlenty of food and drink was served to just over 100 evacuees from the Marshall Fire who spent the previous night at the YMCA of Northern Colorado on Dec. 31, 2021 in Lafayette. The fires erupted Thursday afternoon in the area as thousands were forced to evacuate their homes.
Kathryn Scott, Special to The Denver PostJust over 100 evacuees from the Marshall Fire, like Veronica Llabres, left, spent the night at the YMCA of Northern Colorado on Dec. 31, 2021 in Lafayette. Llabres wipes away a tear as she speaks to a chaplain that was at the center. The fires erupted Thursday afternoon in the area as thousands were forced to evacuate their homes.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostBerthoud Fire Department firefighter Alec Huggins walks back to his engine in the heavy snow as he and his team wait to be demobilized off of the Marshall Fire at the staging at the Louisville Recreation Center on Dec. 31, 2021 in Louisville. A type I team will be taking over management of the fire.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostGreeley Fire Department battalion chiefs Chris Elmer, right, and Ben Ojinaga, in passenger seat, file paper work for firefighters to be demobilized off of the Marshall Fire at the staging at the Louisville Recreation Center on Dec. 31, 2021 in Louisville.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver PostSheriff's deputies maintain road closures for the Marshall Fire along Via Appia Way as heavy snow begins to fall on Dec. 31, 2021 in Louisville.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
1 of 42
Jordan Hymes hugs her grandmother Nancy Grignon, left, as her grandfather Guy, right, looks towards their burned out subdivision in the Coal Creek Ranch neighborhood in Louisville in the aftermath of the Marshall fire on Dec. 31, 2021. Hymes and her family lost their home of ten years, while the Grignon's home was spared. The fire may have burned 1,000 homes and numerous business. The fast moving fire was stoked by extremely dry drought conditions and fierce winds, with gusts topping 100 mph along the foothills.
Expand
By Helen H. Richardson | hrichardson@denverpost.com | The Denver Post, Andy Cross | across@denverpost.com | The Denver Post, RJ Sangosti | rsangosti@denverpost.com | The Denver Post and Eric Lutzens | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Getting your player ready...
The Marshall fire that tore through parts of Superior and Louisville may have destroyed as many as 1,000 homes as it decimated entire neighborhoods, Gov. Jared Polis and Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said Friday.
But, in a development officials pointed to as miraculous, there have been no reported deaths connected to the 6,000-acre fire.
Officials on Thursday evening had estimated that at least 500 homes in Superior were burned by the wind-driven wildfire, but both Polis and Pelle acknowledged in a news conference on Friday morning that that number likely will rise significantly, with numerous losses also reported in Louisville.
“I would estimate itap going to be at least 500,” Pelle said. “I would not be surprised if itap 1,000.”
Officials said there were 1,778 homes within the burn area with a total value of $825 million — but not all of them were destroyed or even damaged, and it may be another day or so before a final tally is complete.
