Colorado: hundreds of homes destroyed by fires

Hundreds of homes were destroyed by fires in Colorado, a state in the west of the United States battered by high winds and facing a historic drought, on Thursday, officials said.

“

, ”Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle told a news conference.

Several threatened cities

The city of Boulder, which has more than 100,000 inhabitants, is located about fifty kilometers from Denver, the capital of Colorado.

This state is experiencing a historic drought, which greatly facilitated the spread of the flames.

In Boulder County, hotels, shopping centers and more than 650 acres of greenery have gone up in smoke.

Gusts of more than 160 km / h were observed in some places, complicating the efforts of the firefighters.

"

" the sheriff warned. Joe Pelle.

A neighborhood in Boulder in the throes of flames.

JASON CONNOLLY / AFP

According to the

newspaper

, several people required treatment for burns, at least six of whom were hospitalized.

Images broadcast by CBS showed a burning apartment building that firefighters were trying to put out.

Thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate, especially in Louisville, a city of 20,000 residents.

"

", had insisted the meteorological services.

"

" tweeted Jared Polis, the governor of this mountainous state where the Rockies meet the Great Plains.

Another city targeted by a full evacuation order, Superior, 13,000 inhabitants, was covered Thursday in a cloud of dark smoke, according to images posted on social networks.

The American West particularly vulnerable

With global warming, the intensity and frequency of drought and heatwave episodes are likely to increase further, continuing to create ideal conditions for forest or bush fires.

In recent years, the American West has experienced unprecedented fires, particularly in California and Oregon.

For Daniel Swain, a meteorologist at UCLA, it is "

" that these fires take place in December, a period usually not conducive to this type of event in the region.

"

The researcher tweeted.