Religious sect tied to Boulder fires

The+Yellow+Deli+restaurant+is+located+in+Boulder%2C+CO.+Boulder+County+has+not+said+whether+or+not+the+fire+was+a+wildfire+or+caused+by+the+Twelve+Tribes.+The+Yellow+Deli+by+Lorenia+is+licensed+under+CC+BY-NC-ND+2.0+

The Yellow Deli restaurant is located in Boulder, CO. Boulder County has not said whether or not the fire was a wildfire or caused by the Twelve Tribes. “The Yellow Deli” by Lorenia is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Pia Lyhne, Editor

On Thursday, December 30th, 2021, a fire started in southern Boulder, Colorado. With winds reaching 100 miles-per-hour, the fire spread over 6,000 acres leading to the destruction of nearly 1,000 structures. 

Over 30,000 residents of Boulder were evacuated, most of whom were able to escape the fires. However, two people were reported missing. According to the Boulder County website, investigators found partial human remains along 5900 Marshall Road. The body was confirmed to be an adult. 

Resource centers are open to those who have lost their homes in Boulder in an attempt to recover from the destruction the fire brought.  

Boulder County is advising people to stay away from the ash and debris as they could be harmful to people. Ash is nontoxic, however buildings that were reduced to ash can contain carcinogens, chemicals that are known to cause cancer. 

Boulder County is refusing to answer any questions on the information on the origin of the fires and those who have gone missing. Despite that, a video taken by Anjan Sapkota shows that the fire started in a barn on Marshall Road.

An investigation began regarding the start of the fire. It is speculated that the Twelve Tribes are related to the fire which seems to have started in their barn. According to a CU Independent investigation, the Twelve Tribes, a religious sect, have a history connected to child abuse. An ex-tribe member called the group a “threat-based system.”

The Twelve Tribes run 20 small restaurants, one of which is located on Pearl Street, in Southern Boulder. The staff consists of unpaid Twelve Tribe members. The Yellow Deli was temporarily shut down “due to being displaced by the Marshall fire.” Both the Twelve Tribes community building and the restaurant are shown as closed. While the Deli remains closed, surrounding shops are accepting business.