SUPERIOR, Colo. (KDVR) — At first glance, the neighborhood on Second Avenue in Superior looks like others devastated by the Marshall Fire. But if you look closer, homes are completely gone on one side and still standing on the other side.
Glenn and Barbara Mansfield live in one of them that survived the intense heat and whirling embers.
“You know you look at the flames where they came up to the stones. It makes you think that it kind of stopped there,” Glenn said.
Across the street from the Mansfields, is a completely devastating barren landscape. Their neighbors’ loss broke their hearts. The Mansfields couldn’t believe their home survived.
“We even spoke to the site manager and he said I think the cement board definitely saved our home, because the embers hit all in front of these homes. You can see where the embers hit,” Barbara said.
Their home is located in a new subdivision with new home construction.
Lea Ertz of Cottonwood Custom Builders showed us a fire-resistant home in Boulder. She said siding made of fire-resistant material like stone, stucco and cement can help save a home.
Wood planks have been treated to ward off heat and flames and roofs play a major role.
“You have roofing choices that will burn and those that are resistant to ignition. And we have an unvented roof so there are no roof vents in order for embers to get drawn into,” Ertz said.
The Mansfield home has battle scars with embers leaving their mark on the home’s exterior. And the roof was damaged too.
Cottonwood Builders told us the cost of the fire-resistant material is not that much more expensive than the traditional materials.
They said homeowners can consider modifying their existing homes to make them safer.