DENVER (AP) — December’s Marshall fire spared the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, an expanse of grasslands between Superior and Arvada that for 40 years was home to a facility producing triggers for nuclear warheads.
But the prospect of a large refuge wildfire was the subject of a recent meeting of local elected officials and refuge managers. For those who believe the refuge isn’t safe due to residual contamination, the Boulder County fire was a wake-up call.
A site manager from the U.S. Department of Energy said wildfire modeling shows little need for concern. The refuge has experienced a dozen small fires since 2000, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.