DENVER — President Joe Biden will be in Colorado Friday to tour the damage left by the Marshall Fire and discuss federal support for the victims, according to Rep. Joe Neguse and the White House.
Neguse, a Democrat who represents the area that includes the towns where the fire burned last Thursday, said he, the president and Gov. Jared Polis would tour the fire damage and talk about federal relief.
A White House official also confirmed the visit, though details are still forthcoming.
“We cannot expect our communities to bear the burden of this disaster on their own. We must bring the full force of the federal government to bear as our communities work to rebuild and recover,” Neguse said in a statement. “I’m deeply grateful to President Biden and his Administration for authorizing a swift Disaster Declaration this past weekend to begin the flow of federal funds to our community, and I look forward to hosting him on the ground on Friday to share firsthand the powerful stories of Boulder County’s resilience and strength.”
Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration on Dec. 31, which freed up fire recovery funds for victims to get temporary housing, recover home repair costs and low-cost loans for uninsured property, among other things.
The Marshall Fire, fanned by extremely high winds and fueled by extreme drought conditions in southern Boulder County, destroyed or damaged more than 1,000 homes and businesses on Dec. 30.
As of Tuesday, the Boulder County Wildfire Fund had received more than $12 million in donations from more than 43,000 people. $5 million have already been approved for disbursement.
This story was originally published by Blair Miller on Scripps station KMGH in Denver.
