Matthew Mueller spends a lot of time thinking about doomsday scenarios. After all, it’s his job.

Mueller is the director of Denver’s Office of Emergency Management, but it wasn’t until recently that he had to start considering the reality of how wildfires could threaten the Denver metro area, which prompted his office to create a new kind of plan.

The office is drafting a mass evacuation plan, which Mueller said is a first for the city because it takes into account wildfire threats. While previous plans included evacuation protocols in the event of a hazardous materials disaster or a failure at Cherry Creek Dam, wildfires were a blind spot.

“We have not had a plan for something like that in Denver because we have frankly, historically not had wildfire risks,” said Mueller. “In the city of Denver, that’s not something we’ve had to deal with before.”

But 2021’s Marshall Fire, which destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Boulder County, necessitated a new plan, Mueller said.

The Marshall Fire didn't affect Denver directly, but it made Mueller realize that parts of Denver —like the region close to the airport and the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Refuge — could experience similar grass fires.

“We would need not just a few blocks, but an entire neighborhood evacuated,” said Mueller.

Colorado experienced one of the driest and hottest winters on record, raising concerns about summer wildfires. Earlier this month, the Clear Creek and Jefferson County Sheriff's Offices practiced evacuations in case of fires.

https://rmpbs.org/news/science-environment/denver-mass-evacuation-plan-wildfire