Office of the Chancellor - Off-campus NCAR wildfire activity: Campus resources and response

March 27, 2022

Good afternoon,

As Spring Break comes to an end and our community returns to campus, we are once again experiencing an emergency that is impacting our city and our CU Boulder students, faculty and staff.

The wildfire that started adjacent to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in the south Boulder foothills on Saturday afternoon forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and prompted a vigorous and successful defense of life and property by area fire agencies from both the ground and the air. I want to extend my appreciation and gratitude to the firefighters and first responders on the frontlines of this fire who applied their training and skills to keep the flames in check and who are continuing to work to fully contain the blaze.

At this time, there are no evacuation orders in effect for our campus. Classes and campus operations will resume on Monday, March 28, as scheduled. We understand there may be individuals impacted by the ongoing evacuation order, and I ask that our entire campus community be caring and flexible with the needs of those whose lives have been disrupted due to this fire.

Our campus leadership team worked quickly over the weekend to gather numerous resources to assist impacted students, faculty and staff. Those resources include:

• The Student Emergency Fund and Staff and Faculty Emergency Fund

• Buff Pantry; open to support students, faculty, staff and community members experiencing food insecurity

• Emotional wellbeing and support services provided by our Office of Victim Assistance (OVA),  Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) and our Faculty and Staff Assistance Program

Students displaced by the fire should contact their instructors regarding course accommodations and if they need further assistance, should contact Student Support and Case Management. Also, please watch for upcoming messages directed to faculty and staff that will provide more information on operations and continuity to support our campus community.

As we continue to heal from the wounds of December’s Marshall Fire, we are sensitive to the wide-ranging impacts unleashed by these natural disasters. I am grateful to be surrounded by such a thoughtful and empathetic CU and Boulder community. I ask that as we finish the spring 2022 semester, we all continue to take good care of ourselves, our surroundings and each other with kindness and understanding. 

Sincerely,

Philip DiStefano, chancellor