Six months after the High Park Fire burned 259 homes, Donna and Ira Baker are ready to move into their rebuilt home on Davis Ranch Road. The Bakers’ was the second home to receive a permit to rebuild, and is the first to receive a certificate of occupancy from Larimer County Planning and Building Services. The home was built by Ric Forest of Redstone Canyon.
To date, 29 permits for replacement homes have been issued in the High Park fire burn area, which represents about 12 percent of the homes lost in June. The county has also issued eight permits for replacement homes in Estes Park, representing about a third of the 25 homes lost to the Woodland Heights fire.
Larimer County’s Recovery Manager Suzanne Bassinger said she is “very heartened” to see the devastation and shock of the summer giving way to the hopeful recovery taking place due to actions of local organizations and individuals.
“It is truly a very bright spot on the horizon, and I am continually inspired by the generosity and commitment of our community,” she said. “Re-seeding efforts have been astounding, we have the first C.O., we’re finding trailers and other living accommodations for those still on their land who lost their homes, we’re putting in culverts to mitigate potential flooding during the spring run-off, the watershed is being protected, and a whole lot more has and is being done. We’ll just keep moving forward as our communities heal from these events.”
The sixth Road Map to Recovery workshop with United Policyholders is set for Jan. 15.
For more information, go to www.larimer.org and click on High Park Fire.
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