The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that the investigative portion of its quest to find the cause of the Marshall fire is “nearing completion” and that the evidence will soon be turned over to experts and labs for analysis.
Officials have been working to determine the cause of the fire, which started as a grass fire near Marshall Road and Colorado 93 on Dec. 30 before burning 6,000 acres and destroying more than 1,000 homes. One person has been confirmed dead, and another is missing and presumed dead.
At this point, officials have been looking into power lines, human activity and even a long-smoldering coal mine as possible causes.
According to a news release, investigators have for the most part wrapped up the first phase of the investigation, including the gathering of evidence, witness interviews and reviewing photos and videos of the wildfire.
That information is now set to be analyzed by experts and labs, a process that the sheriff’s office said could take several weeks or even months.
“As was previously released, we are investigating any and all potential causes of the fire, including coal mines in the area, power lines, human activity, etc.,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
“We are working diligently with our investigation partners to ensure the outcome of the investigation is thorough and accurate. Since the beginning of the investigation, we have utilized resources, support, and experts from around the nation. We appreciate the contributions and efforts of our federal, state, and local partners. With their help and continued involvement, we remain committed to determining the cause and origin of the fire that occurred on that day.”
The sheriff’s office said the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office has also been involved in case criminal charges are warranted.
“We know our community members want to know what happened and we are doing everything we can to make that happen,” the sheriff’s office stated.
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