Calif. wildfire survivors offer Boulder County advice

LOUISVILLE, Colo (KDVR) — A group of California wildfire survivors spent time in Boulder County this week, offering tips and advice to those impacted by the Marshall Fire.

Jennifer Gray Thompson created “After The Fire” following devastating fires in her community in 2017.

“The truth is, until you go through it, it is the unimaginable,” she said.

Gray Thompson said her team has visited most major United States fire scenes since 2018, lending a hand to those with so many questions.

“We don’t come in like know-it-alls, we’re not saviors, and we’re not heroes,” she said. “We’ve just been there.”

The group recorded an information meeting Wednesday night. You can request that video and more information by emailing i[email protected]

She said one tip that comes up regularly is to set up zone or block captains, allowing one person to disseminate information to a specific group of people.

She said it’s often cheaper to rebuild homes with the same contractor, cutting costs for those who were underinsured.

They also recommend taking your time with the process and resisting the urge to jump at the first available builder that becomes available.

“We always see people in a rush because they very much want to get back to where they were before,” she said. “When you’re in a hurry is when you start to make decisions, and some of those decisions might be made in trauma and not what’s best for you in the long run.”