Updated re-entry information for evacuated Marshall Fire Residents – 6 p.m. Jan. 3, 2022

Beginning on January 3, 2022 at 6 p.n., additional residents within the Marshall Fire area will be allowed to return to their homes under a soft closure. The following areas are included in this soft closure:

• Spanish Hills
• Original Town excluding Sagamore Subdivision; South 76 Street will remain closed and cannot be used to access this area.
• Superior Marketplace and businesses within this area on the west side of McCaslin Blvd will be accessible to employees and contractors ONLY.
• Downtown Superior and Discovery Park residents will be allowed to return under a soft closure. Businesses in this area east of McCaslin Blvd will remain under a hard closure with the exception of Sports Stable and Urgent Care which will be open to the public.

Note: There are no changes to evacuation status in Louisville with this release.

• If your home is in a hard closure area, you will not be allowed to return home at this time.
• If your home is within a soft closure area, an ID will be required for re-entry. Please be patient as lines could be long at the checkpoints.

All other areas not listed above or not previously moved to soft closure remain in hard closure. Please reference the OEM Info Map at www.boco.org/OEMInfoMap for the most current evacuation status.

Officials continue to assess conditions in communities to allow re-entry of residents as soon as it is safe. There are structures that have been damaged or destroyed in this area. Use extreme caution when returning to your neighborhood. Incident personnel continue to work in these areas and hazards such as weakened trees and structures do exist. Residents should expect to see smoke, smoldering material, and pockets of open flame where structures have been destroyed. If previously undamaged structures become impacted, please call 911.

Here are some additional things to consider when returning home:

• Only residents with addresses within a soft closure area are allowed to enter the area. Residents should return to their homes and stay on their property. Do not wander into other areas of the fire or into areas that remain under a hard closure. Use extreme caution around damaged or destroyed structures.
• Hard closures are open to emergency personnel only and should not be entered on foot, bicycle, or by any other means. Members of the public who enter these hard closure areas are hampering fire and recovery operations and, as a result, it will take longer for fire and response operations to be completed and additional areas to be opened.
• Some residents may see colored cards on structures when they return home. The cards are based on the ATC-45 Rapid Evaluation Form. There are three colors possible. Green means it has been INSPECTED, Yellow means RESTRICTED USE, and Red means UNSAFE. The card also provides space for detailed information regarding why or how the building use is restricted or why the building is unsafe (if not obvious). If you have a card on your home and have additional questions, please call the number on the card.
• Vehicles that are parked along roadways can impede operations and may be impounded.
• When returning home or traveling through the fire area, residents are asked to slow their speeds and be alert to incident personnel working in the area and hazards such as weakened trees and structures.
• Once residents have returned home, they are asked to limit driving to daylight hours, to go directly to their homes, and remain in and around their home to minimize impact to closure checkpoints.
• There is no potable water in the affected area so residents should be prepared to bring bottled water with them for all water needs, including for pets. Never use water you think may be contaminated to wash dishes, brush teeth, prepare food, wash hands, make ice or baby formula.
• Power, gas, and water may not be restored by the time you are allowed to re-enter. Please do not call 911 or utility companies. They are working as quickly as they can to restore utilities.
• With the power outages, food in your refrigerator and freezer may be contaminated or spoiled. Dispose of any food that has been exposed to smoke, soot or heat or has thawed. Dumpsters will be placed in central locations for food disposal. Please do not use personal trash cans.
• As residents return to the fire area, if there are signs that suspicious activity has occurred, please call the Tipline at 303-441-3674. If suspicious activity is occurring, please call 911 or the non-emergency line at 303-441-4444.