Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Alabama Baptist
The Alabama Baptist
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Classifieds
  • Free Email Newsletter
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Classifieds
  • Free Email Newsletter

Colorado Baptists begin response to massive wildfire near Boulder

  • January 3, 2022
  • Carrie Brown McWhorter
  • Baptist News, Disaster Relief, Latest News, National News
Send Relief photo

Colorado Baptists begin response to massive wildfire near Boulder

Colorado Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers have begun serving meals and assisting families impacted by a massive wildfire in Boulder County that destroyed hundreds of homes.

CBDR said preparations to deploy a feeding unit began as the Marshall Fire raced through the cities of Louisville and Superior and the unincorporated community of Marshall, all located southwest of the city of Boulder and northeast of Denver.

The fire began on Dec. 30 and within 24 hours engulfed 6,200 acres. Nearly 1,000 homes were destroyed, with more than 100 more damaged, according to Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle.

Officials are investigating the source of the fire, but an unusually dry fall and winter coupled with winds that at times exceeded 100 mph fueled its rapid spread. The winds were so strong, there was little firefighters could do but evacuate homes and businesses in the fires’ paths.

Justin McKay, a church planter and pastor of The Local Church in nearby Arvada, lives about 20 minutes from the hardest hit area. McKay said his family was prepared to evacuate if the fire spread further south.

“Praise God we didn’t have to,” McKay told The Alabama Baptist.

‘Smell of houses burning’

“I saw the smoke billowing from my back yard but I also smelled it,” McKay said. “The smell in the air didn’t smell like traditional wildfires — more like chemicals. It was the smell of houses burning rather than trees. It was pretty sad.”

Burning embers spread by the fierce winds ignited multiple fires, McKay said.

“You could see a pocket of fire here and then an empty space,” he said, recalling what he could see from a distance. As the fires burned, McKay said, “ash was falling like snow.”

As Colorado Baptists respond to the needs of those left homeless by the fires, McKay, a native of Hoover, said Alabama Baptists can help by praying. “That’s something we can literally do wherever we are.

“Pray for local churches who are helping. Pray for local officials to work together. And pray for the hope of Christ to reach these hurting people right where they are.

“This is the most receptive people [in this area] might be to Jesus,” he said. “Pray that they will be receptive and that local churches will be able to meet their needs in word and deed in this season.”

Share with others:

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on email
Email
Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Pastor Connections: ‘Don’t quit,’ Dew tells pastors; study on bivocational pastors; attract more people to summer events
    Pastor Connections: ‘Don’t quit,’ Dew tells pastors; study on bivocational pastors; attract more people to summer events
    June 15, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Latest news: Celebrating Father’s Day; Israel strikes Iran; Christian musician reveals ‘double life’
    Latest news: Celebrating Father’s Day; Israel strikes Iran; Christian musician reveals ‘double life’
    June 14, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • First person: 4 things to expect in heaven
    First person: 4 things to expect in heaven
    June 14, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Pastor Connections: ‘Don’t quit,’ Dew tells pastors; study on bivocational pastors; attract more people to summer events

June 15, 2025

A few tips and more for pastors from pastors and church leaders.

Latest news: Celebrating Father’s Day; Israel strikes Iran; Christian musician reveals ‘double life’

June 14, 2025

Check out these recent headlines, reported by The Baptist Paper.

First person: 4 things to expect in heaven

June 14, 2025

Is eternity just a never-ending church service? Should we really look forward to life after grave? Thankfully, the caricatures of heaven found in popular culture do not align with the biblical vision of eternal life. What can we expect?

Alabama student outcomes improve in reading, graduation and career readiness

June 13, 2025

Alabama’s public school students showed improvement on three key measures of academic success, according to data released Thursday (June 12)

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Special Events
  • Photo Galleries
  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Special Events
  • Photo Galleries

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • About Alabama
  • Videos
  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • About Alabama
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy
  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Register for online access
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service
  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Register for online access
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service
The Alabama Baptist

Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209

Copyright © 2025 The Alabama Baptist, Inc.
  • Privacy Policy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thealabamabaptist.org

About

  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Special Events
  • Photo Galleries
  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Special Events
  • Photo Galleries

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • About Alabama
  • Videos
  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • About Alabama
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy
  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Register for online access
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service
  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Register for online access
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service

Log In

Lost your password?

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel