An image of the flames spreading through the city of Superior, Colorado. DAN FOGARTY (Dan Fogarty via REUTERS)
As of Friday, a series of wildfires have destroyed at least 500 homes, a hotel and a shopping center in the suburban areas of Denver, the capital of Colorado. The fire, which started Thursday, has forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate from Boulder County, an area hard hit by the drought. The situation has forced the governor, Jared Polis, to declare a state of emergency, an action that allows him to unlock emergency funds and deploy state resources, including the Colorado National Guard. No deaths have been recorded at the moment.
The fires have spread at high speed due to gusts of wind that reached 177 kilometers per hour on Thursday, causing hundreds of power outages and the closure of several roads, the Colorado State Patrol reported on Twitter. Polis, who described the disaster as "absolutely devastating," sent a message of calm to the victims at a press conference on Thursday: "For those who have lost everything they had, know that we will be there to help them rebuild their lives." .
Gusts of wind blew out power lines that fell into dry grass, sparking the first flames around 11 a.m. Thursday morning south of Boulder, a county where most areas are experiencing extreme or severe drought. according to the United States Drought Monitor. The fire spread rapidly through the cities of Louisville and Superior, Sheriff Joe Pelle explained, adding that he believed the two main fires were caused by downed power lines and said he wouldn't be surprised if there were deaths or injuries.
Xcel Energy, an energy company with millions of customers in Colorado, said high winds had caused outages in Boulder, but that they were also intentionally cutting off power in some areas because the flames have affected its natural gas infrastructure.
By Thursday night the winds abated, making it easier for the firefighters to work.
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