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City of Longmont sends equipment and personnel to help fight Marshall blaze

Longmont crews continue to help
Monte Whaley
Monte Whaley
neighborhood near corner of Indiana St and Colton Rd (2)
Neighborhood at the corner of Indiana Street and Colton Road destroyed by the Dec. 30, 2021 Marshall fire Photo by Macie May

The city of Longmont sent fire engines and as many as 60 personnel including many off-duty firefighters and police officers to help fight the rapidly emerging Marshall fire last week and Public Safety members are continuing to help clean and oversee the 6,000 acres burned by the blaze.

The Marshall fire broke out on Thursday, Dec. 30 and led to the evacuation of Superior and Louisville. As many as 1,000 homes and businesses were either destroyed or badly damaged during the blaze.

Fire crews on Tuesday continued to put out hot spots in vegetation and around impacted structures while working with utility crews and law enforcement to get people back into homes “in a safe and timely manner,” according to the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team news release.

Some areas of the fire may continue to produce smoke from smoldering vegetation and debris, the news release states.

On the first day of the fire, Longmont Public Safety sent five firefighting rigs, 20 staff members — half on duty and half off-duty — to fight the Marshall blaze as it engulfed Superior and Louisville, said Robin Ericson, spokesperson for Longmont Public Safety.

Longmont Police sent 34 staff members for traffic support, Ericson said via email. Two staff members from the Longmont Office of Emergency Management also went to help out as did two police Explorer Scouts who were accompanied by staff members, Ericson said.

Two more fire crews were sent after 7 a.m. on Dec. 31 and hazmat crews also assisted with clearing commercial buildings, Ericson said. “At that point, we have had miscellaneous requests for assistance covered with off-duty staff,” she said.

Longmont Police have been averaging 4-to-5 off duty personnel assisting at the fire each day, she said.

There is continuing support from the Longmont Office of Emergency Management which has sent at least two personnel, Ericson said. Three Longmont Victim Advocates have also been ongoing, with three advocates assisting on Saturday, Jan. 1 and at the newly opened Disaster Assistance Center.