But many residents are not as aware of wildfire risk in grasslands and shrublands. When the Marshall fire swept into the Boulder suburbs in 2021, killing two people and incinerating more than 1,000 homes, many residents were shocked that such a fierce blaze could encroach on their community, far from the forests of the Rocky Mountains. The community’s risk was actually high: Many homes were close to wide expanses of tall, dry grass that were primed to burn. When a grass fire sparked, strong winter winds propelled it toward nearby neighborhoods where the flames easily jumped from grasses to homes, sometimes using the wooden fencing that separated human and natural landscapes as a springboard.

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Persons: Marshall Locations: Boulder, Rocky