‹‹ Colorado Matters

How weather and climate drove the Boulder County grass fires

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7min 24sec
Marshall Fire flames and smoke rise above Superior
Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
Marshall Fire flames and smoke rise above Superior, Colorado, on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021. Dangerously high winds raked the Front Range of Colorado on Thursday, knocking out power, making for dangerous travel conditions, and whipping up wildfires in Boulder County that destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures.

Assistant State climatologist Becky Bolinger explains how a wet spring-- followed by an abnormally-dry and warm winter fueled the devastating grass fires in Boulder County, and how similar conditions are likely to return.