It’s Monday, July 15, 2024.
Good morning, Boulder. I hope you’re well
Today, we’re covering Boulder County’s decision to sell up to 32 below-market-rate apartments to address a budget gap in its affordable housing program. This gap is due to rising maintenance costs and administrative salaries. The Boulder County Housing Authority, which manages over 900 affordable housing units, says it’s adding many more units. But this decision comes amid an already-limited supply of affordable housing, and is forcing families to find new homes in a region grappling with a housing shortage and rising living costs. One displaced resident told us she doesn’t know where to go next and is considering living in her car if she can’t find another place.
We also covered the Dinosaur Fire, which broke out on Friday near NCAR. Manageable winds allowed for rapid containment with the help of eight fire districts. I spoke with Seth McKinney, the county’s fire management officer, about the implications of the Dinosaur Fire for this fire season, and he was clear: This is likely just the beginning. We’re going to have a real fire season this year, unlike last year.
One new addition to this disaster response was the text messaging program launched by the Boulder Office of Disaster Management just days before. If you were signed up, you likely received 10 updates with links to more information. This sure beats navigating the chaos of social media, which has caused confusion in past fires (remember Sunshine Canyon?). Messages are available in over 100 languages via the ReachWell translation app. Simply text BOCOinfo to 888777 to sign up.
Have a great start to your week.
— Tim, reporter
P.S. Not a subscriber to BRL Today yet? Sign up here.
Become a sponsor: Get your brand in front of 19,000 of Boulder’s most engaged residents, directly in their inboxes. Contact BRL’s publisher, Stacy Feldman, to learn more.
Featured stories
Boulder County Housing Authority is selling off affordable apartments to address budget gap, displacing some families
More than a dozen residents have been given 90 days to move out. One displaced resident said she is unsure she will find another place she can afford. Continue reading…
ICYMI: Dinosaur fire near Boulder contained, no residential evacuations required
The Dinosaur Fire was 100% contained as of 6:00 p.m. on July 13, about 30 hours after it was called in. The fire near NCAR coincided with a heat wave and severe drought in Boulder County. Continue reading…
Boulder Reporting Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization that empowers our community through non-partisan, locally focused journalism that informs and connects.
In other news
Cooling off
You’re being rewarded for enduring the weekend’s heat. Temperatures will be in the 90s today but will drop into the 80s for the rest of the week. There’s even a chance of precipitation. Who would’ve thought?
Dinosaur Fire tested firefighting readiness for ‘long, hot summer’
The Dinosaur Fire, which scorched approximately 3.5 acres on July 12 will almost certainly not be the last blaze Boulder will face this year, according to Seth McKinney, the fire management officer for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
“We all — fire districts and wildfire personnel — feel that we are going to have a fire season this year,” McKinney said. “I say that because we really didn’t have one last year.”
Parts of Boulder County entered a severe drought designation the day before the fire broke out. The drought label followed a record-breaking dry stretch for Boulder.
Matthew Kelsch, a climate observer at the NOAA station, told Boulder Reporting Lab that May to June 2024 experienced only 0.71 inches of rain, making it “the driest in Boulder’s recorded weather history.” He noted that the previous record for the driest May-June period was 1.13 inches, set in 1899.
Even so, modest winds allowed firefighters to fully contain the Dinosaur blaze by 6 p.m. on Saturday, about 30 hours after it was called in. McKinney said the fire was a good test of the county’s capabilities as the fire season begins, and results were good.
“Yesterday really was a good exercise for in testing out capabilities, and I think most of us are pleased,” he said. “No doubt that we have more work to do and will continue to finetune our processes, but the response was good.”
“I think we all know it will be a long, hot summer,” he added, “but we are going to take it as it comes and focus on each initial response.” Read on BRL.
Boulder athletes heading to 2024 Olympics
Several Boulderites are set to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Colorado Public Radio reports. Among them are Taylor Knibb (cycling, triathlon), Brooke Raboutou (sport climbing) and Elise Cranny (track and field). They join a team of 592 athletes, 26 of whom are from Colorado. The opening ceremony is on July 26, with competitions starting on July 24 and concluding on Aug. 11.
Lafayette urges residents to shift watering schedules amid peak usage strain
The City of Lafayette is reporting that Monday, Wednesday and Friday spikes in water usage are exceeding the city’s sole water treatment plant’s capacity and causing wear and tear on the system. The city is pleading with residents to shift their watering schedules to help manage plant capacity. Although there is a regulation limiting outdoor watering to three days per week, those days don’t have to be the same for everyone.
Last summer, Boulder Reporting Lab covered rising water rates in Lafayette due to investments in water rights, reservoirs and the need for an additional water treatment plant. City officials noted that Lafayette’s single water treatment plant operates near capacity during summer, with water usage increasing from 2 million gallons per day in winter to 10 million gallons in summer, primarily for watering lawns.
NOAA and NASA to pinpoint toxic emissions in Weld County
NOAA, NASA and state researchers are conducting land, air and space surveillance in Weld County to identify toxic ozone precursors and greenhouse gas emissions, the Colorado Sun reports. Using flights, satellites and mobile labs, they aim to pinpoint pollution sources in oil and gas basins, farmlands and urban areas. This comprehensive study, the first in a decade, will support new policies to combat pollution in Colorado’s northern Front Range, which severely violates EPA ozone standards. Ozone forms when VOCs and other pollutants from oil and gas, wildfires and automobiles react with sunlight. The toxic gas is linked to respiratory ailments, heart attacks and strokes.
Boulder County commissioned research indicating that oil and gas emissions from Weld County drilling sites are Boulder’s single-largest contributor to ground-level ozone, we reported in 2022.
Heritage morning at Walker Ranch
Boulder County Parks & Open Space invites the public to the Summer Heritage Morning event at Walker Ranch Homestead, 7701 Flagstaff Road, on Sunday, July 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Participants will get a glimpse of life as it was in the late 1800s, guided by costumed volunteers who will demonstrate daily tasks and traditions of the era. Activities include blacksmith demonstrations, butter churning, and shingle making. Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic and blanket, as no tables are available at the homestead. Bikes and pets are not allowed. The event is free and doesn’t require registration.
BRL’s to-do list: What else is happening this week and weekend?
Explore ALL upcoming events in Boulder. If you have something to promote, use the self-submission form on our events page, for free.
Wednesday | History of the Outdoor Industry with Rachel Gross with guest Trent Bush | 5 p.m.
“Gross examines Americans’ journey toward outdoor expertise by tracing the development of the nascent outdoor goods industry, the influence of World War II on its growth, and the boom years of outdoor businesses.”
Wednesday | Natalie Lampert — “The Big Freeze” | 6:30 p.m.
“Natalie Lampert will speak about and sign her new book, The Big Freeze: A Reporter’s Personal Journey into the World of Egg Freezing and the Quest to Control Our Fertility.”
Thursday | Colorado Music Festival | 6:30 p.m.
“The Colorado Music Festival brings magnificent music right to the heart of Colorado.”
Friday, Saturday, Sunday | Pearl Street Arts Fest | Times vary
“From whimsical and modern sculptures to traditional watercolors, oils & more, Pearl Street Arts Fest is a beautiful outdoor gallery nestled in the heart of downtown Boulder.”
Sunday | Ladysmith Black Mambazo | 8 p.m.
“The year 2023 marks the 63rd anniversary of Joseph Shabalala forming Ladysmith Black Mambazo. His group would not only conquer all of South Africa, but would become a worldwide phenomenon.”
