LOUISVILLE, Colo. — The Marshall fire destroyed more than a thousand homes across Boulder County on Dec. 30, 2021. But as the community gathers to remember two years since the most destructive wildfire in Colorado's history, some families are marking the occasion by returning home.
Denver7 spoke with the Pomeroy Family, who celebrated their return home this week — just days before the two year anniversary of the fire. Reina Pomeroy said it can be a difficult time of the year for fire victims.
“The anniversary brings back those sort of memories,” said Pomeroy. “I'm glad that our family is safe and we were able to evacuate and get out in time, but you know, it's scary to go through losing your home and losing, like a place of comfort.”
Pomeroy, her husband and two children, were forced to start all over when their Louisville home was destroyed during the blaze.
This year, the family of four celebrated their first Christmas back in their newly rebuilt home.
“We evacuated when our Christmas tree was still up,” said Pomeroy, “We lost all of that and all of those memories. And so re-decorating our tree this year was tough.”
She said she and her family are still working to unpack and settle into their new home.
“There's a lot of positive emotions and being able to move home for sure. but it's not quite done yet," she said.
Although a lot has changed over the past couple of years, Pomeroy said the support from her community has remained the same.
“We've been through so many lows, and so many highs together," she added.
Pomeroy said she has also been involved with the group Marshall Together for the past two years, a self-organized group of community members collectively working together towards supporting neighbors, helping them heal and rebuild.
"We're gonna keep advocating for folks to be able to get home until everyone is," she said.
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The Pomeroys are among the first few hundred homeowners to finish rebuilding after the Marshall Fire. As of last Friday, 229 certificates of occupancy had been issued in Louisville and unincorporated Boulder County — fewer than a third of the homes destroyed.
One-thousand, eighty-four homes were destroyed in the Marshall Fire and 149 were damaged. The estimated losses total more than $2 billion.
The Marshall Fire ranks 10th on the list of costliest wildfires in U.S. history — the only Colorado fire on that list.
