As drought conditions intensify, firefighters and volunteer groups are chipping away at Colorado’s wildfire risk. Fire officials are predicting another spring with above normal potential for large wildfires, which in parts of Boulder County is the last thing homeowners want to hear. On Saturday, volunteers with Team Rubicon, a veteran volunteer group that responds to disasters, worked to make things safer for homeowners in Jamestown.
“We’re trying to thin out what we call an unhealthy forest,” said Rex Laceby, incident commander with Team Rubicon. As the Lefthand Canyon Fire grew and Calwood Fire enveloped homes last October, Craig and Mary Brown of Jamestown spent days on standby.
“Our cars were all loaded up and we were pointing downhill, and we were ready to go on a moment’s notice,” Craig Brown said.
“It was pretty scary,” Mary Brown said.
While the couple never had to evacuate, burn scars from past fires nearby are a reminder of what could have been.