DENVER (KDVR) — Superior and Louisville were hit aggressively with a life-altering wildfire in the waning days of 2021, and now unemployment benefits are available to minimize the struggles of those impacted as the fallout settles.

The Marshall Fire, the most destructive fire in Colorado’s history, claimed nearly 1,000 homes across Boulder County and left its victims with wounds that will possibly never go away.

Now, officials at Colorado’s Department of Labor and Unemployment have moved to ensure that those whose employment was impacted by this crisis will not lose their income entirely.

On the morning of Jan. 2, the department announced that federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance has been approved for those who became unemployed, or those who are self-employed and had their work interrupted, as a direct result of the Marshall Fire.

The state labor department said anyone impacted should file an unemployment insurance claim on their website. Applicants who received $2,500 or more in wages on a W2 from any employer where taxes were withheld, since 2019, are likely eligible to receive these benefits.

Before applying, it is suggested that you gather all income-related information in addition to old pay stubs and W2s.

Once victims have applied for unemployment insurance, their claim can be managed at MyUI+.