Answering the call: How Westminster staff helped neighboring communities during the Marshall Fire
On the morning of December 30, 2021, grass fires broke out in Boulder County. By noon, the fire had spread rapidly due to a combination of arid conditions and wind gusts of over 100 mph, engulfing the communities of Superior and Louisville.
“This wasn’t a wildland fire,” said David Varney, Battalion Chief with the Westminster Fire Department. “This was a town fire driven by the combustibles of homes and buildings, one after another with the significant winds. I’ve been on for 25 years and I’ve never seen anything like that.”
In the immediate response, Westminster Fire deployed multiple engines and staff. As those crews entered their assigned neighborhood, they found many of the homes already burning. The flames were fueled by all sorts of combustible building materials, as well as the material possessions families had left behind.
