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In the NoCo

Wildfire risk places Northern Colorado homeowners in the hot seat

A fire burns in a home destroyed by the Marshall Wildfire in Louisville, Colo., Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.
Jack Dempsey
/
AP
A fire burns in a home destroyed by the Marshall Wildfire in Louisville, Colo., Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.

The impacts of wildfires are something Northern Colorado homeowners are increasingly confronting. A recent report from the company CoreLogic shows thousands of homes in Northern Colorado are susceptible to damage from wildfires. In Boulder, nearly 10,000 homes are at risk. In Fort Collins, that number rises to more than 14,000. These statistics position Colorado in the number two slot nationwide — right behind California — when it comes to the level of property damage homeowners could face here. We discussed these risks and more with Jude Bayham. He researches wildfire management at Colorado State University.

We mentioned legislation to raise salaries for federal wildland firefighters that's stalled in Congress.

Learn more about protecting your home from wildfires here.