Thousands flee growing fires in West

DENVER — Large wildfires grew across the West on Wednesday, keeping thousands of people out of their homes for the July Fourth holiday and forcing some strict bans on fireworks to prevent new fires from igniting in the hot, dry region.

The National Interagency Fire Center reported more than 60 large, active blazes across the country, most in the drought-stricken West where holiday festivities could lead to increased fire danger.

The third-largest fire in recorded Colorado history kept expanding, chewing through 147 square miles near Fort Garland, 205 miles southwest of Denver.

The Spring Fire has destroyed more than 100 homes, and over 2,000 have been evacuated. Officials said preventing the flames from spreading toward the small mountain town of Cuchara is a priority.

Nearly 1,000 firefighters were working to gain control of the fire in unpredictable winds, but it was only slightly contained since sparking June 27.

“We’re holding our own,” Shane Greer, an incident commander with the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team, told residents.

Some fireworks displays were scheduled to go on in Denver and other large cities, but several mountain communities called off their holiday festivities to avoid any risk of flames.

Western states have been grappling with severe drought that’s made wildfires explosive this season.

Utah authorities ordered more residents to evacuate as a blaze grew to 62 square miles near a fishing reservoir amid high wind gusts, steep terrain and dry conditions. Several hundred homes and cabins have been evacuated and the orders were extended to a 20-mile area.

HELEN H. RICHARDSON/DENVER POST A plume of smoke builds this week from a wildfire near Fairplay, Colo. Other fires are burning across the West.