Nederland’s evacuation hurdles reflect other small towns’ struggles
TL/DR –
Nederland, a town in Colorado, is working towards developing a critical fire evacuation route. The planning process has been ongoing for 15 years, with decisions on the route’s location and funding hurdles slowing progress. The town officials have recently met with a contractor and the local fire department to discuss plans for two egress roads out of a neighborhood, while concerns about uncontrollable wildfires, which are projected to increase significantly over the next decades, add to the urgency of the project.
NEDERLAND —
The town of Nederland is progressing towards a crucial fire evacuation route, protecting both human lives and vital water infrastructure. The project’s progress has been hindered by disagreements on the route, funding and competing priorities, according to Jonathan Cain, Nederland’s town and zoning administrator.
On July 15, town officials met with a contractor and the fire department to plan two exit roads from Big Springs neighborhood. The neighborhood, home to about 200 residents, is located southeast of the town shopping plaza, between Magnolia Road and Barker Meadow Reservoir.
For about 15 years, the town has been trying to establish how residents of this mountainous, timber-covered neighborhood would escape a fire, particularly from the east where firefighters would need to access in case a fire came from the west.
According to a United Nations report, wildfires are expected to increase 14% by 2030 and 50% by 2100. As of 2023, Colorado’s wildland urban interface, where towns and cities meet forests and natural areas, is the state’s riskiest fire zone, covering approximately 4.5 million acres. Based on weather, ignition spots and topography, Nederland is 96% more likely to experience a catastrophic wildfire than any other part of the U.S.
After the 2021 Marshall fire destroyed over 1,000 homes in Superior, there was renewed urgency about escape routes. The fire sparked debates on how to reconcile limited budgets with increasingly destructive wildfires in communities across the drought-stricken West.
Factoring in Evacuation
Around 2010, some Big Springs residents opposed a proposed evacuation route due to its poor condition and environmental impact. After a year of discussions, a new path was identified, but the fire department deemed it risky and recommended a different route.
The town is now considering both options, with input from the fire department and community members. Fire Chief Charlie Schmidtmann of the Nederland Fire Protection District prefers the route below Barker Dam, which would require constructing a new bridge.
The main concern with the Magnolia route is access. Schmidtmann points out that going downhill when it’s slippery is easier than going uphill. A challenge with the route below Barker Dam is that it currently doesn’t exist and would require approval from the City of Boulder.
Despite funding issues, Cain says the town only has funds for planning and even that is likely to expire before the plans are complete. He believes that Nederland’s egress grant will either be reshaped to make everyone comfortable, or they’ll be given time to get to the full shovel-ready design.
Funding’s an Issue Everywhere
Brett Wolk, associate director at the University of Colorado’s Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, says Nederland isn’t the only community dealing with safety concerns as fires increase and funding can’t keep up. Despite multiple funding sources and initiatives, there’s more need than available funding, even with additional funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other programs.
Despite the slow implementation timelines, Cain remains optimistic that federal partners will help the town get this crucial project into a shovel-ready state.
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