An assessment report for the properties destroyed by the Cameron Peak Fire in Larimer County has been released by the Larimer County Assessor’s Office.
The report shows that 469 properties were affected by the fire. Of those, 243 structures were destroyed, showing an assessed value loss of $472,533 and a market loss of over $6 million.
Over 1,200 hours were used by Larimer County Assessor’s office and staff on planning, damage assessment and fieldwork to produce the report.
Visit https://www.larimer.org/sites/default/files/assessors_office_cameron_peak_fire_report.pdf to view the report.
“This report highlights the significant role the assessor has performing its statutory duties, planning, community collaboration, and damage assessment fieldwork in the county during and after the Cameron Peak Fire or natural disaster,” said Larimer County Assessor Bob Overbeck.
Damage assessment teams made up with members from the Larimer County Assessor’s Office, and Larimer County Building Department were escorted through the burn area by emergency management and Sheriff’s Office personnel to ensure safe access to properties.
Under House Bill 14-1001, the State of Colorado will begin the process of reimbursing affected Larimer County property owners about $123,000 from the lowered property values. Statutorily, all destroyed properties must be pro-rated, with properties being on the tax roll at full value until the date of the fire and reduced for the remainder of the year. For more information about the program, visit https://www.larimer.org/assessor.
Overbeck also submitted the report with a letter to U.S. Congressional Rep. Joe Neguse supporting the Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus in the 117th Congress, promoting science-based wildfire mitigation strategies, and support for more federal resources for local firefighting crews. Overbeck outlined a unique intergovernmental agreement [IGA] formed in June 2020, between Larimer County and Arapahoe County Assessor’s Offices, designed to help each other in the event of a large fire or flood.
The IGA allows the two counties to share their resources and personnel performing damage assessments in the event of a large fire or flood, ensuring each county has enough technically skilled personnel at hand to perform damage assessments and property valuations. With both counties working together, damage assessments are performed faster and more accurately, to meet the short FEMA deadlines. https://www.larimer.org/spotlights/2020/06/10/larimer-arapahoe-counties-work-together-unique-process.
For information about the report or other property questions, contact the Larimer County Assessor’s Office, [970] 498-7050, or by email atOverbebc@larimer.org. For information on Cameron Peak Fire Recovery, visit larimerrecovers.org.
