Picnic held for residents of unincorporated Boulder County that were impacted by the Marshall Fire
A total of 157 out of the more than 1,000 structures that were lost in the Marshall Fire were in unincorporated Boulder County. Those homes are more spread out than in the neighborhoods that went up in flames in Louisville and Superior, and residents say it has been harder for them to connect than for incorporated communities.
On Sunday they came together to share in the healing process. They met for a picnic with live music and food trucks at Boulder Valley Christian Church.
"Some are rebuilding and some are not rebuilding but they came today just to be together because we're kind of in the same boat," said Cheryl Gordon, whose home was among those that was narrowly spared from the fire. "Their spirit is amazing."
Neighbors of hers like P.J. Bostley weren't as lucky.
"I actually got back into the neighborhood that night and got to watch it burn," Bostley said.
Bostley and his family are trying to rebuild but are dealing with insurance issues.
"A lot of the folks I saw today we still see on a pretty regular basis," he said. "It has been great and it's a huge part of why we want to stay here and rebuild."
Friends Megan Monroe and Ellen Berry both lived in the community of Marshall where the fire started.
"We both lost everything in the fire," Berry said.
More than 9 months later, the women are still in limbo when it comes to their properties.
"We have been back and forth about rebuilding. We obviously are very drawn to it, it's our home still, but it just is really unsettling for us still," said Monroe.
Monroe's family is living in Boulder for now, while Ellen's is living in an RV on her property.
"All of our cash was stuck in the land and the buildings that burnt, so we have to try to rebuild to have a home for our family and get our investment back," said Berry.
As each family navigates the wildfire's aftermath, they're not doing it alone.
"There haven't been a ton of events like this, but each one is really good at just bringing people together, which helps them not to grieve," said Berry.
Berry urges all Colorado residents to be prepared for this kind of disaster by having good insurance and preserving records and photos online.
The community is in the process of planning more gatherings to commemorate the fire's upcoming one year anniversary.