Hello, Boulder. I hope your weekend was delightful.
To ease you back into the week, I have a story about fire management on the grasslands of Boulder County. Ever since the Marshall Fire used these lands to enter neighborhoods, county residents have voiced concern about management techniques. The problem is, there’s no clear answer.
Also, bears are waking up from their winter nap, so it’s time to be mindful of your garbage and goats, as bears will happily snack on both.
Enjoy the day. I’ll see you Wednesday.
— Tim, reporter
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What to know today
- A suggestion of summer: The sun will be a-shinin’ and temps will be a-climbin’. With highs nearly touching 80, we’ll get a hint of what’s to come, though by mid-week Mother Nature will remember it’s spring and bring some showers.
- Boulder firefighters contain small wildfire near The Peoples’ Crossing: A small wildland fire was reported at approximately 7:50 p.m. Sunday night near The Peoples’ Crossing, just west of the city, Boulder Fire-Rescue said. It was contained by firefighters. The fire charred nearly a quarter-acre of land, mostly grass. Fortunately, no evacuations were required during the incident. The cause of the fire remains unknown and is under investigation.
- Latest bid for Boulder state House seat: Lesley Smith, chair of the University of Colorado’s Board of Regents and researcher who started her career studying coral reefs, announced last week she is running for House District 49 to represent the western half of the City of Boulder — as well as Boulder County’s mountain towns — in the 2024 statewide election. The seat is currently held by Rep. Judy Amabile, who said she is planning to run for the Senate seat held by Senate President Steve Fenberg. Fenberg is term-limited from running for reelection next year.
- Human rights funding changes: The City of Boulder is enacting some changes to its Human Relations Fund — a fund promoting activities that help Boulderites better understand civil rights, human rights and equity issues. The fund now has an online application process, in both English and Spanish, with deadlines that will hopefully get money faster to those who can use it. An advisory committee of city staff and community members will decide who receives the funding, as the Human Relations Commission will no longer decide who gets what.
- Applications for projects happening between June and December opened last week and will roll on through the end of September. Only $60,000 is available, and the city says it expects competition. Those interested can find out more on the city’s website.
- Look out for bears: It’s spring, and bears are waking up. And the area in and around Boulder makes up some of their habitat. To ensure they don’t become a problem, the city encourages residents to keep their trash secured and be mindful of livestock.
- Bear-resistant trash and compost containers are required west of Broadway and south of Sumac Avenue, though they’re recommended everywhere in Boulder as bear activity has increased in east Boulder in recent years.
- Bird feeders, fruit trees and livestock all attract bears, including hummingbird feeders, so maybe take those down during this active time. There’s also been an increased interest in goats as of late, so if you have one of those, make sure it’s safe, along with your chickens and bees.
Go Deeper…
As Boulder County residents wake up to risk of living on wildfire-prone grasslands, a search for solutions
By Tim Drugan
April 10, 2023
The Marshall Fire exposed a major vulnerability in grassland fire-prevention techniques. A new Boulder County working group is trying to pin down solutions where no silver bullet exists.
“There’s a lot of pressure, of course, to come up with solutions,” Stefan Reinold, a resource manager for county Parks and Open Space, told BRL. “But one of our biggest concerns is there is no clear solution with grasslands. If there were, we would be all about it. We’d be out there trying to decrease fire hazard in every aspect we could.” Reinold said since the Marshall Fire, the county has been criticized by residents for mismanaging its grasslands. One of the suggestions residents often make is increased grazing. But much of the area burned by the Marshall Fire had been grazed — multiple times — in the year leading up to the fire.
“We grazed three times,” Reinold said. “Which is getting to the level of overgrazing in some areas that abut Louisville.”
Join us again at Boulder’s only large-scale, inclusive celebration of our community’s vibrant arts and cultural offerings and our city’s thriving creativity at the 10th Annual Boulder Arts Week from April 7 – 15, 2023. This year’s event includes art walks, exhibitions, performances, dance, music, theater, public art, lectures, readings, and workshops at venues throughout the city.
BRL picks
🫖 Celebrating the Dushanbe Teahouse: The Museum of Boulder and The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse have teamed up to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the “only authentic Persian tea house” in North America. “On exhibit will be pieces from its earliest days to objects seen by patrons enjoying delicious food and of course distinctive teas.” The exhibit will run through June 18.
👨🎨 Creekside Beer Fest tickets on sale now: More than 30 bands will perform at the 34th annual Boulder Creek Festival from May 26-29. The City of Boulder and Team Player Productions recently announced the headliners and live music lineup for the event. The Creekside Beer Fest will also be there, with 20 breweries, and you can get your tickets now for $25.
👟 Boulder Rez half marathon: Run a half marathon, half marathon relay, 10k or 5k on April 15. The run course loops around the Boulder Reservoir, mostly on dirt trails. The course is flat with about 200 feet of elevation gain. Register here.
For more ideas on what to do this week, check out BRL’s Local Events page.
ICYMI
- Boulder isn’t opposing Polis’ sweeping housing legislation, unlike most of its neighbors. Councilmembers may support allowing duplexes and triplexes in single-family neighborhoods. But they have signaled opposition to other key elements of the legislation.
- Boulder residents launch ballot measure petition for faster removal of tents, propane tanks. The petition, the first to be submitted ahead of the Nov. 7 election, comes as the City of Boulder ramps up its enforcement of laws prohibiting sleeping in public spaces and possessing a tent or propane tank.
- Going solar in Boulder? Brace for a possible wait of ‘many months’ amid Xcel Energy delays. Solar installations in Boulder and across the state have been hindered by slow Xcel Energy approvals, creating problems for local solar businesses and residents. A Colorado lawmaker is proposing an amendment to speed up the approvals process by levying fines. “We will probably be taking action on that topic this session,” State Senator Steve Fenberg said.
- Read previous editions of BRL Today. Get up-to-date with the latest news from Boulder.
