Living in the Rockies, wildfires are hardly a concern in the middle of winter. FALSE! On December 30, Colorado residents were hit hard across Boulder County as a fire spread across 6,000 acres of land and destroyed over a thousand homes and businesses. 

     A fire of this massive size has left those affected in disbelief as the fire managed to spread, despite snow. It seems the main contributor to the size of this fire was the dry conditions that Colorado has faced. According to the Denver Channel, 66% of the state is seeing moderate drought conditions or worse, 29% of Colorado is experiencing severe drought or worse, and 14% is seeing extreme drought conditions. 

     On social media, many stories of individuals and families losing their homes are circulating. Getting in touch with Allie Reuter (@alliereuter_  on Instagram), she generously shared the story of her 72-year-old neighbor Kaz.

     In Superior, CO, Kaz lost his home to the fire. He is also a widower whose wife passed to cancer. Allie  said that when Kaz got the call to evacuate his home, he was only able to leave with the clothes on his back. 

     Unfortunately, Kaz is under insured and is now living with the parents of Allie, and she believes that Kaz is another example of a fire victim who should receive monetary assistance. 

     According to the Boulder County Assessor’s Office, the residential damage has amounted to roughly $513,212,589. Overall, the fire has devastated residents across Boulder County, and this winter wildfire should serve as an example of the extreme weather events that will become more and more frequent if humans do not relent damaging the climate. The wildfire in Colorado should make us reflect on the increasing intensity of the wildfires in Missoula  and while they have been unprecedented in recent years, we can expect to see a similar winter wildfire here if conditions continue to escalate.