The Marshall Fire in December 2021 became the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history. This is part one of two episodes focusing on the personal narratives from Boulder County residents affected by the tragedy. It looks back at the quiet emotional journeys that happen in the aftermath of a wildfire. We hear from Meghan, a former rodeo queen who saved a dozen horses on the day of the Marshall Fire; Paul, Deputy Fire Chief who responded to the crisis; and Mike and Jessi, who lost their family home in the fire but discovered something surprising in the ashes.

Thanks to Jenn Kaaoush at Superior Rising, Cheryl Gordon with Unincorporated Boulder County and Reina Pomeroy at Marshall Together helping us connect with storytellers. Recorded January 2023 at Louisville Underground.

We’re looking for people interested in sharing their stories onstage, and communities whose experiences and perspectives deserve more attention. Reach out to us: [email protected]

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My Story So Far is a Community Audio project of Colorado Public Radio’s Audio Innovations Studio — part of the NPR Network.

Host and producer: Luis Antonio Perez
Producer: Emily Williams
Editor: Jo Erickson
Mixing: Rebekah Romberg
Additional producers: Kibwe Cooper, Erin Jones
Theme music by Daniel Mescher; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music
Cover Art: Maria Juliana Pinzón
Executive producer: Brad Turner
Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Pedro Lumbrano, Martin Skavish, Kim Nguyen, Rachel Estabrook, Carl Bilek, Ryan Warner, Cayla Montoya-Manzo and Brittany Werges.