That particular year had an unusually wet and warm spring season, which allowed grasses to grow taller and thicker; but from June to December, the area experienced the warmest and driest year on record, leading to favorable fuel conditions \cite{marshall_fire_investigative_summary_2023}. The fast spread was driven by a downslope windstorm, with wind gusts records of 100 mph, relative humidity around 20%, and cured grass fuel. The event was described by \citealt{fovell2022} as “a perfect storm of fast winds and drought conditions as the combination of historically warm temperatures and low precipitation along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains left the grasses in a state of extreme dryness”.