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New Report Highlights Wildfire Recovery Opportunities  

On December 30, 2021, the devastating Marshall Fire raced through Boulder County, the Town of Superior, and the City of Louisville in Colorado. With 100+ mph winds fueling flames through grasses on a dry winter day, many residents were left racing through neighborhoods and shopping centers to quickly evacuate with limited or no warning. Over the course of the next 12 hours, more than 1,100 homes were damaged or destroyed and two lives were lost.

Suddenly, two suburban communities, Superior and Louisville, were thrust into a recovery process that was new, and in many cases, overwhelming. Countless hours and dollars later, numerous residents and neighborhood organizers, local and state government leaders and staff, and other dedicated partners have been supporting a long-term recovery effort.

Recovery from such a disaster often takes years. To assist the communities of Superior and Louisville, the Urban Land Institute‘s (ULI) Urban Resilience Program convened a panel of experts in wildfire resilience, post-disaster community recovery, affordable housing, land use planning, and market and financial analysis to help advise the municipalities and provide recovery guidance.  

The Community Wildfire Planning Center was honored to participate in the ULI Advisory Services Panel and add our insights and expertise on wildland-urban interface planning. The outcome of this panel culminated in the Marshall Fire Recovery report, released August 15, 2023. The report contains findings and recommendations to help Superior and Louisville continue on a strong and resilient path toward recovery that incorporates wildfire mitigation strategies, affordable housing opportunities, and additional land use planning considerations for the future.