Dangerous weather event & red flag warning; City closures on Friday, Dec. 19
The National Weather Service in Boulder has issued a for an area including Louisville tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 19 in anticipation of a powerful and potentially damaging Boulder County wind event. This alert indicates that conditions are extreme and pose a significant risk for fire weather.
This is a particularly dangerous situation in Boulder County that poses a significant threat to life and property in the event of a wildfire start. New or existing fire ignitions will have a high risk for very rapid fire spread.
Wind gusts may reach 100+ miles per hour in Boulder County, especially in areas west of Highway 36, Broadway, and Highway 93.
Prohibited
Open burning is not allowed anywhere in Boulder County.
Avoid any outdoor activities that may cause a spark or flame:
- No campfires
- No lawn mowers
- No charcoal grills
- No slash burns
- No outdoor welding
- No parking in high grass
- Do not throw cigarettes or matches outdoors
How to Prepare
Help share the message with family, friends, and neighbors that any outdoor activity that could cause a spark or flame should not take place.
Be prepared to evacuate should a fire ignite. Know your evacuation routes. If you do not have a way to evacuate, consider leaving the risk area prior to the high wind event. In some cases, safe and timely evacuation may not be possible should a fire approach.
Sign up to receive emergency alerts via phone call, text message, and e-mail sign-up at , or to receive app notifications in other languages, download and use the ReachWell app and add “BOCO Alert” and select your language of choice.
Have a plan with neighbors and friends on how to evacuate people you care take for (children, older adults, etc.) and pets if you are not home.
Assemble an emergency supply kit, grab list of essential or irreplaceable items you would need to take with you. Have multiple ways to receive instructions from emergency services.
Before Thursday night, bring in or secure anything that could blow from your yard and could become a hazard (patio furniture, trash cans, decorations, etc.).
Lock gates: use carabiners, padlocks or strong latches on all gates to prevent them from blowing open.
Bring pets indoors: the safest option is to bring pets inside. If pets must be kept outdoors, keep them under direct supervision, on a leash or in a secure kennel. Ensure all pets wear collars with updated ID tags.
City of Louisville facility closures
Louisville City Hall will be closed on Friday, Dec. 19, along with the Louisville Historical Museum, Louisville Police Department lobby, and Louisville Municipal Court. Many services are available online at .
As of now, the Louisville Public Library and Louisville Recreation & Senior Center are planning to operate as normal on Friday, but that is subject to change depending on weather, power outages, or other factors. Please stay tuned to your email, the City’s social media channels, and/or the facility’s websites at and for the latest information.
Coal Creek Golf Course is also planning to be open regular hours, but staff could close the course if conditions become unsafe.
Guidance for tree damage
Boulder ODM has also for what to do in the case of downed trees and branches.
Avoiding driving and roads
On Friday, Dec. 19, we ask that people stay home and off the roads. Wind conditions will be dangerously high, especially in areas west of Broadway in Boulder and along the foothills.
There will be significant debris in the roads, including downed limbs and power lines, and some traffic signals will be out. Wind and fire conditions can escalate quickly. Police, Fire and Paramedics will benefit from less traffic on the roads so that they can respond more quickly to emergencies and life safety situations.
For more information, visit
ODM Call Center Opens at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow, Dec. 19
The Office of Disaster Management Call Center will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow, Dec. 19, to assist with answering general questions about the ongoing wind event. The Call Center will also be open form 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20.
Call Center phone line – 303-413-7730.
REMINDER: Sign up for emergency alerts
If you have not already done so, please sign up for emergency alerts via . While the City will continue to share information in case of emergencies, the BOCO Alert system is the best way to get accurate emergency information as quickly as possible. When enrolling, you can specify up to five addresses (home, work, schools, etc.) and you will only receive alerts relevant to those addresses.
You can also download the to receive emergency alerts in over 100 languages.
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