Boulder County Private Property Debris Removal Program due to the Marshall Fire Event

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Almost immediately after nearly 1,100 homes in Louisville, Superior, and unincorporated Boulder County were lost to the Marshall Fire, Boulder County’s Public Works began the monumental task of clearing debris from public right-of-way, homes that were lost, and those properties that were damaged by the fire and the accompanying 100+ mile an hour wind. In eight months, more than 158,000 tons of vegetative, concrete, ash, and metal debris was removed from 566 properties who opted to participate in the county’s Private Property Debris Removal Program (PPDR). Not only was this waste removed, but it was also sorted and recycled, if possible, which prevented more than a third of the total waste from going to area landfills. In addition to the PPDR participants, the county’s Public Works Department also helped those residents who also received damage from the smoke and wind by conducting a curbside collection program that picked up everything from burned patio furniture to indoor carpet and rugs that were covered in ash and smoke. Without the county’s assistance in taking the lead in the PPDR program and other cleanup efforts, there’s a good chance that many residents would still be digging out from this unprecedented fire.