Boulder County Unveils Murals to Promote Wildfire Resilience

Boulder County has unveiled two vibrant new murals aimed at sparking conversations about wildfire resilience and encouraging residents to take proactive steps to protect their homes. The artwork, commissioned by Wildfire Partners, a Boulder County government program, is part of a broader effort to build community empowerment around wildfire preparedness.

The murals, located in Nederland and Lyons, feature bold colors and the "Home Sweet Mitigated Home" slogan, designed to remind residents that mitigating their homes against wildfires is a necessary and achievable part of living in Boulder County. The artwork is part of Wildfire Partners' "Home Sweet Mitigated Home" campaign, which emphasizes that a home that is resilient to wildfires is a safer and more enjoyable place to live.

"These murals should remind our residents that mitigating your home against wildfires is a necessary, achievable, and empowering part of living in Boulder County. Together, we can build steps into routine home maintenance to make our entire community more resilient."

The murals, created in collaboration with artists Taylor Shaw and Rachel Dinda, are located at 74 CO-72 in Nederland at Nederland Feed and Pet, and on Broadway between 4th and 5th Avenue in Lyons. They feature images of homes with proper mitigation, such as the removal of highly-combustible juniper plants near the home, helping to build awareness for the tasks that can help protect homes.

The bright designs will also be featured on campaign merchandise like tote bags and stickers, which will be given away to the first 20 people to post a photo with the murals, tagging @wildfirepartners on Instagram or Facebook and sharing what mitigation steps they are inspired to take. The murals are part of a larger initiative to keep the momentum going on wildfire mitigation efforts in the area.

Wildfire Partners encourages homeowners to start with simple, everyday mitigation actions like cleaning gutters, raking and removing clutter from under the deck. These actions are effective and don't require a big budget. For more significant projects, all Boulder County residents may be eligible for a rebate up to $500 from Wildfire Partners by completing one of the approved mitigation actions.

The murals are part of a broader campaign to address the increasing threat of wildfires in Boulder County. According to a 2025 analysis by Colorado State University researchers, the annual average number of wildfires in Colorado has increased sharply, from 13 in the 1990s to more than 70 by the 2020s. Boulder County, ranked in the top 10 most at-risk areas for wildfire in the Rocky Mountain Region, is particularly vulnerable.

To learn more about wildfire mitigation and available resources, residents can visit wildfirepartners.org. The program offers technical and financial assistance through custom wildfire mitigation assessments, grant funding, educational events, community programs, a free community chipping program, rebates, and youth mitigation crews helping vulnerable individuals and communities. The rebate program is funded by the Wildfire Mitigation Sales Tax, approved by Boulder County voters in 2022.