Multiple missing and warrant issued following Colorado wildfires
By
John Murphy, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Jan 2, 2022 7:11 PM EDT
|
Updated Jan 4, 2022 6:08 AM EDT
Two people are still unaccounted for after the fast-moving Marshall Fire caused grim devastation to Boulder County, Colorado, on Thursday.
The Marshall Fire started around 11 a.m. local time near Marshall Drive and Cherryvale Road near the towns of Superior and Louisville, each located south of the city of Boulder, according to the Boulder Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
Hurricane-force winds caused the fire to spread quickly, forcing over 35,000 people to flee at a moment's notice.
Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said at least 991 structures were destroyed and 127 were damaged as a result of the fire that occurred last week.
Pelle released updated information about the number of structures lost. In Louisville, 553 homes were destroyed and 45 were damaged. Superior had 332 homes destroyed and 60 damaged. Unincorporated Boulder County recorded 106 homes destroyed and 22 damaged.
Damage in Superior, Colorado. (Brandon Murphy)
On Sunday morning, three people were reported missing - two from the Superior area and one from the Marshall area. Later on Sunday, one of those missing was accounted for, leaving two people still missing. Those missing were inside homes that were destroyed as a result of the fire.
The weather caused several challenges for those affected by the fires. Nearly a foot of snow and below-freezing temperatures caused any surviving belongings and possible victims to be hidden underneath snow. It also hid nails and sharp objects that were poking out from the rubble, making recovery more dangerous.
"The structures where these folks would be are completely destroyed and covered with about eight inches of snow right now, so our ability to attempt to search and recover from those structures is very much impeded right now," said Pelle.
For homes that survived the fire, their power and gas remained cut on Saturday as the single-digit cold and snow rolled through the area. Nearly 13,000 homes around Boulder were without natural gas and over 7,000 without power on Saturday, according to PowerOutage US.
Damage in Superior, Colorado, off the intersection of Coalton Rd. and McCaslin Blvd. from the fires that erupted on Thursday, Dec. 30. (Brandon Murphy)
(Brandon Murphy)
The Town of Superior shut off its water in the fire zone to prevent additional damage from bursting pipes due to the cold.
Pelle said Boulder County will begin to bring cadaver-finding dogs to search for victims from the fire.
“Potentially there are human remains in those homes. It’s not even safe to step into the scene. We don’t know what’s underneath," said Pelle.
Some residents were allowed back to their homes on Saturday to asses damages, but only those with proof of residency were permitted.
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The cause of the fires remains under investigation. Though early reports from officials indicate that they may have been sparked by downed power lines, a recent inspection by emergency management alongside Xcel Energy, an electrical service company that serves the area, found no downed powerlines in the ignition area, according to the Boulder OEM. A search warrant in relation to the origin of the fire has been issued by Boulder County authorities.
The Marshall Fire and the Middle Fork Fire, two of the blazes that ignited Thursday, are considered the most destructive wildfires in Colorado history, according to Colorado Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg. The total acreage burned is estimated to be at 6,000 acres.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency Thursday afternoon in response to the fires, allowing the state to access disaster emergency funds and services.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Weather News
Multiple missing and warrant issued following Colorado wildfires
By John Murphy, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Jan 2, 2022 7:11 PM EDT | Updated Jan 4, 2022 6:08 AM EDT
Two people are still unaccounted for after the fast-moving Marshall Fire caused grim devastation to Boulder County, Colorado, on Thursday.
The Marshall Fire started around 11 a.m. local time near Marshall Drive and Cherryvale Road near the towns of Superior and Louisville, each located south of the city of Boulder, according to the Boulder Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
Hurricane-force winds caused the fire to spread quickly, forcing over 35,000 people to flee at a moment's notice.
Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said at least 991 structures were destroyed and 127 were damaged as a result of the fire that occurred last week.
Pelle released updated information about the number of structures lost. In Louisville, 553 homes were destroyed and 45 were damaged. Superior had 332 homes destroyed and 60 damaged. Unincorporated Boulder County recorded 106 homes destroyed and 22 damaged.
Damage in Superior, Colorado. (Brandon Murphy)
On Sunday morning, three people were reported missing - two from the Superior area and one from the Marshall area. Later on Sunday, one of those missing was accounted for, leaving two people still missing. Those missing were inside homes that were destroyed as a result of the fire.
The weather caused several challenges for those affected by the fires. Nearly a foot of snow and below-freezing temperatures caused any surviving belongings and possible victims to be hidden underneath snow. It also hid nails and sharp objects that were poking out from the rubble, making recovery more dangerous.
"The structures where these folks would be are completely destroyed and covered with about eight inches of snow right now, so our ability to attempt to search and recover from those structures is very much impeded right now," said Pelle.
For homes that survived the fire, their power and gas remained cut on Saturday as the single-digit cold and snow rolled through the area. Nearly 13,000 homes around Boulder were without natural gas and over 7,000 without power on Saturday, according to PowerOutage US.
Damage in Superior, Colorado, off the intersection of Coalton Rd. and McCaslin Blvd. from the fires that erupted on Thursday, Dec. 30. (Brandon Murphy)
The Town of Superior shut off its water in the fire zone to prevent additional damage from bursting pipes due to the cold.
Pelle said Boulder County will begin to bring cadaver-finding dogs to search for victims from the fire.
“Potentially there are human remains in those homes. It’s not even safe to step into the scene. We don’t know what’s underneath," said Pelle.
Some residents were allowed back to their homes on Saturday to asses damages, but only those with proof of residency were permitted.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The cause of the fires remains under investigation. Though early reports from officials indicate that they may have been sparked by downed power lines, a recent inspection by emergency management alongside Xcel Energy, an electrical service company that serves the area, found no downed powerlines in the ignition area, according to the Boulder OEM. A search warrant in relation to the origin of the fire has been issued by Boulder County authorities.
The Marshall Fire and the Middle Fork Fire, two of the blazes that ignited Thursday, are considered the most destructive wildfires in Colorado history, according to Colorado Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg. The total acreage burned is estimated to be at 6,000 acres.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency Thursday afternoon in response to the fires, allowing the state to access disaster emergency funds and services.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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