🔥 Is your Boulder neighborhood at high wildfire risk?

Good Monday morning, Boulder.

Leading today: Boulder has identified 12 areas along its western edge as priorities for wildfire protection, including four considered at the highest risk. But the city aims to have just 20% of homes in those areas meet wildfire home-hardening standards recognized by insurers by 2030, prompting several Boulder City Councilmembers to call for more ambitious goals. Is your neighborhood on the list? Check the city’s interactive wildfire risk map. Por Jaijongkit reports.

Also today: Halloween is almost here, and McKenzie Watson-Fore has you covered. If you missed last week’s Culture Club, you missed her ultimate guide to Halloween and Día de los Muertos, featuring 66 ways to celebrate across Boulder County. We’re sharing it below so you can make your plans. And if you’re not already getting Culture Club, sign up for free for McKenzie’s weekly roundup of the best arts, culture and events across Boulder County.

Haven’t voted yet? Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Check out BRL’s 2026 Boulder Voter Guide, with candidate Q&As, where candidates stand on key issues and explainers on local ballot measures. Everything you need to make an informed decision, all in one place.

Plus more, Below the Fold:

Weather: Gray skies today, sunshine ahead.
Wildfire rebates: Thursday deadline for Boulder County homeowners.
Free rides: New on-demand buses serving Gunbarrel and southeast Boulder County.
Spruce garage: Downtown parking garage partially reopens after renovations.
Veterans fair: Free benefits and employment assistance Thursday in Longmont.

Thanks, as always, for reading,

– The BRL team

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Ryan Schuchard (shoe-hard) is a BVSD dad of two, a Boulder City Council member, and a candidate for re-election. He’s been a leader in making Boulder climate resilient and financially strong. Ryan is endorsed by Congressman Joe Neguse, Senator Michael Bennet, and many more local leaders and organizations. Learn more at www.ryanwithboulder.com.

Boulder identifies 12 neighborhoods at highest wildfire risk, but protection goals fall short

The city plans to focus wildfire protection efforts on 12 areas along its western edge, but its proposed goals would leave most homes short of recommended wildfire protection standards by 2030. Continue reading…

Your 2026 Boulder County guide to Halloween and Día de los Muertos: 66 ways to celebrate

From trick-or-treating and haunted attractions to costume parties, live music and Día de los Muertos celebrations, find festivities for all ages across Boulder County. Continue reading…

Boulder 2026 Voter Guide: What to know before Election Day, Nov. 3

Boulder voters will choose a mayor and five city councilmembers on Nov. 3. Use this guide to compare candidates, understand local ballot measures and make a plan to vote. Continue reading…

A gray Monday gives way to sunshine

After a beautiful, sunny Sunday, clouds return Monday, with morning showers and patchy fog before conditions improve later in the day. The high will reach the mid-50s to around 60, with temperatures dropping to around 38 overnight.

Tuesday and Wednesday are shaping up to be beautiful fall days, with plenty of sunshine and highs in the upper 60s. The mild, mostly dry weather is expected to continue through Friday.

Wildfire mitigation rebate deadline approaching for Boulder County homeowners

Boulder County homeowners who applied for a rebate through Wildfire Partners have until Thursday, Oct. 29, to submit documentation of their wildfire mitigation work.

To receive a rebate card, homeowners must submit before-and-after photos, receipts, itemized invoices and, if applicable, time logs. Eligible work includes removing junipers, clearing clutter beneath decks and creating defensible space around homes.

Wildfire Partners also offers free home assessments for homeowners in unincorporated Boulder County, including Jamestown, Nederland and Ward. Homeowners in rural areas east of Highways 36 and 93 can request an East Boulder County assessment, while those west of the highways can request a West Boulder County assessment.

Free on-demand bus service launches in Gunbarrel and southeast Boulder County

A new free, on-demand bus service, Ride BoCo, is now operating in Gunbarrel and southeast Boulder County. Ride Gunbarrel runs from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., while Ride SouthEast serves Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, parts of Erie and Flatiron Crossing in Broomfield from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Both services operate seven days a week.

Riders can book trips within designated service areas the same day or a day in advance through the Ride BoCo app, online or by calling 720-473-4414. Vehicles are wheelchair-accessible and equipped with bike racks. Service animals and leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome. Passengers must be at least 13 to ride alone.

The service aims to fill gaps in public transportation where fixed bus routes are unavailable, Boulder County Commissioner Marta Loachamin said in a news release. The idea was developed five years ago through the Boulder Together program.

Downtown Boulder’s Spruce parking garage partially reopens

The Spruce Street parking garage at 1100 Spruce St. has partially reopened after closing in June for renovations, according to the city’s Transportation and Mobility newsletter. Construction is ongoing, and visitors are advised to follow posted signs, barricades and pedestrian routes.

One of downtown Boulder’s oldest and busiest parking facilities, the garage closed for repairs to aging structural components. The city prioritized the work ahead of the Sundance Film Festival in January.

Free veterans resource fair Thursday in Longmont

Boulder County is hosting a free resource fair for veterans and their families on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at American Legion Post 32, 315 S. Bowen St. in Longmont.

The fair is open to all veterans, including those experiencing homelessness, with no income requirements. Services include help accessing VA benefits, appealing VA decisions, understanding disability compensation and finding employment.

Veterans who need transportation can contact Boulder County Mobility for All at 720-564-2218 or mobilityforall@bouldercounty.gov. For questions about the event, contact Ashley Reese at areese@bouldercounty.gov.

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