Colorado homes on fire as gusts hit 180km/h
Fast-moving wildfires fanned by powerful winds swept across parts of suburban Boulder County, Colorado, on Thursday, prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands of people and burning at least 500 homes, a shopping complex and a hotel, authorities said.
The Boulder County Office of Emergency Management announced evacuation orders for Superior and Louisville as the sky turned orange, ash swirled in the wind and buildings were engulfed in flames. Residents in parts of Broomfield and Westminster were also ordered to evacuate.
Governor Jared Polis declared a state of emergency in response to the grass fires, allowing the state to tap emergency funds and to deploy state resources, including the Colorado National Guard. He said wind gusts of up to 180km/h had pushed the fires with astonishing speed across suburban subdivisions.
“This fire is, frankly, a force of nature,” Mr Polis said at a news conference. “For those who have lost everything that they’ve had, know that we will be
there for you to help rebuild your lives.”
More than 1,600 acres have burned since the fires started on Thursday morning, officials said. Though a number of small blazes burned through Boulder County on Thursday, some converged into two larger ones that state authorities named the Middle Fork and the Marshall fires.
The Marshall fire unleashed the most damage north of Denver. The smaller Middle Fork fire was burning several miles further north.
Sheriff Joe Pelle of Boulder County described the fires on Thursday as a “horrific event”. He said he believed both of the main fires had been caused by downed power lines and said he would not be surprised if there were deaths or injuries. As of Thursday night, only one minor injury had been reported: a police officer who got debris in his eye.
All four of the communities under evacuation orders late on Thursday were between Boulder and Denver, the capital. The communities have a total population of more than 200,000, including about 116,000 residents who live in Westminster.
As several nearby communities were also warning their residents to prepare to evacuate on Thursday night, the National Weather Service reported good news: The high wind warnings in the Boulder area had all been cancelled, even though some gusty winds remained.
Earlier in the day, Emily Hogan, a spokesperson for Louisville, said traffic had been heavy as residents fled approaching flames.
“It’s really smoky, and there are some areas where it’s been hard to breathe outside, and you can see flames depending on where you’re at in the city,” she said.
“The situation is continuing to evolve rapidly and we want everyone to be prepared to take action, if needed,” Ms Hogan added.