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ABOUT LEFTHAND FIRE

We serve an area of 51 square miles of rural Colorado, ranging from 5,400 feet on our eastern side to 8,800 feet of elevation on the west. Our district is defined by two steep, narrow canyons, Lefthand Canyon and James Canyon, which combine and form the Lefthand Watershed. Multiple communities lie within our district, with approximately 1500 residents served by our small paid staff, seasonal mitigation crew, and 45 volunteer firefighters. Lefthand Canyon and the surrounding foothills are a dry climate with a year-round wildfire risk. Lefthand Fire responds to all 911 calls within our district and supports surrounding fire departments in Boulder County through mutual aid agreements. We provide emergency medical services, structure fire, hazardous materials response, rescue, and wildland fire response, suppression and mitigation.

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WHERE DID THE NAME LEFTHAND COME FROM?

Located in Lefthand Canyon, named for Chief Niwot or Left Hand(-ed) (c. 1825–1864) was a tribal leader of the Southern Arapaho people and played an important part in the history of Colorado. Chief Niwot and his people lived along the Front Range often wintering in Boulder Valley, site of the future Boulder, Colorado. Despite breaching the borders of Arapaho territory — defined by the Fort Laramie Treaty as the area between the North Platte River and the Arkansas River — early prospectors were welcomed by Niwot in Boulder Valley during the Colorado Gold Rush. Niwot was thought to have died with many of his people at the hands of the Third Colorado Cavalry in the Sand Creek Massacre, which was one of the precipitating events that led to some three decades of Indian Wars throughout the American West. Throughout Boulder County, many places pay tribute to Chief Niwot and the Arapaho Tribe. The census-designated place of Niwot, Colorado, Left Hand Creek, Left Hand Canyon, Niwot Mountain, Niwot High School, Niwot Elementary, Niwot Ridge and the Left Hand Brewing Company are all named for him. Additionally, a main thoroughfare through Boulder is Arapahoe Avenue.