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A person died and several homes were destroyed as wildfires raged through heavily populated areas of the Colorado foothills, authorities reported on Wednesday. According to AP, nearly 100 large blazes were burning across the western US, with firefighters battling the flames under extreme conditions.
The fatality occurred in a fire near Lyons, Colorado, which had scorched more than two square miles (six square kilometres) by Wednesday afternoon.The deceased was found in one of five homes that had burned, according to Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson. The fire, known as the Stone Canyon Fire, remained zero percent contained but did not grow significantly as 150 firefighters worked to control it.
A separate fire near the Denver metro area, west of Conifer, led to evacuation orders for around 575 houses from various subdivisions. This fire, though currently less than one square mile (2.5 square kilometres), was expected to expand as temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). Efforts to combat this blaze included a plane dropping fire retardant and four helicopters using water from a nearby reservoir. Mark Techmeyer of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office described the challenge: “This fire is not an easy fight. The terrain is treacherous”, as per AP.
Another significant fire burned more than 10 square miles (27 square kilometres) west of Loveland, prompting evacuation orders for 4,000 residents. Loveland resident Becca Walter shared her concerns after her parents moved their horses and evacuated to her home. “You can rebuild a house, and you can rebuild a barn, but there are lots of memories in them that you can’t rebuild,” she said, according to AP.
A new fire that ignited southwest of Boulder near Gross Reservoir prompted additional evacuation orders. The fire, which had already destroyed at least two structures, was believed to have been caused by human activity. Authorities were questioning two individuals potentially involved, though it did not appear to be intentional. The fire was contained to about five acres (two hectares) by Wednesday evening.
Hot and dry weather, along with wind gusts up to 30 mph (50 kph), was expected to continue across the Front Range, exacerbating fire dangers. Forecasters anticipated high temperatures would persist into early next week, though lighter winds in the coming days might aid in controlling the fires.
Governor Jared Polis announced the activation of Colorado National Guard units to assist with firefighting efforts, marking the first deployment of the guard since the December 2021 fire that resulted in two deaths and the destruction of nearly 1,100 homes. Polis warned of worsening air quality due to wildfire smoke and urged residents to heed evacuation orders to ensure their safety.
In an unfortunate incident, a plane inadvertently dropped fire retardant containing phosphorous and ammonia into a canal leading to Boulder Reservoir. Although the reservoir was not used for drinking water, officials advised against fishing and keeping pets away from the area.
Nationwide, nearly 28,000 firefighters were tackling 95 large fires, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. This year saw nearly 7,000 square miles (18,000 square kilometres) burned, a significantly higher area than the 10-year average for this time of year.
Fires also caused evacuations in southeastern Wyoming, with around 65 people displaced from Hartville and Pleasant Valley. The Park Fire in Northern California had scorched 609 square miles (1,577 square kilometres), destroying 361 structures and threatening thousands more.
As the fire season intensified, firefighters in California focused on containment efforts in the Sequoia National Forest and other areas, while large fires continued to burn across Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Montana.
The fatality occurred in a fire near Lyons, Colorado, which had scorched more than two square miles (six square kilometres) by Wednesday afternoon.The deceased was found in one of five homes that had burned, according to Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson. The fire, known as the Stone Canyon Fire, remained zero percent contained but did not grow significantly as 150 firefighters worked to control it.
A separate fire near the Denver metro area, west of Conifer, led to evacuation orders for around 575 houses from various subdivisions. This fire, though currently less than one square mile (2.5 square kilometres), was expected to expand as temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). Efforts to combat this blaze included a plane dropping fire retardant and four helicopters using water from a nearby reservoir. Mark Techmeyer of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office described the challenge: “This fire is not an easy fight. The terrain is treacherous”, as per AP.
Another significant fire burned more than 10 square miles (27 square kilometres) west of Loveland, prompting evacuation orders for 4,000 residents. Loveland resident Becca Walter shared her concerns after her parents moved their horses and evacuated to her home. “You can rebuild a house, and you can rebuild a barn, but there are lots of memories in them that you can’t rebuild,” she said, according to AP.
A new fire that ignited southwest of Boulder near Gross Reservoir prompted additional evacuation orders. The fire, which had already destroyed at least two structures, was believed to have been caused by human activity. Authorities were questioning two individuals potentially involved, though it did not appear to be intentional. The fire was contained to about five acres (two hectares) by Wednesday evening.
Hot and dry weather, along with wind gusts up to 30 mph (50 kph), was expected to continue across the Front Range, exacerbating fire dangers. Forecasters anticipated high temperatures would persist into early next week, though lighter winds in the coming days might aid in controlling the fires.
Governor Jared Polis announced the activation of Colorado National Guard units to assist with firefighting efforts, marking the first deployment of the guard since the December 2021 fire that resulted in two deaths and the destruction of nearly 1,100 homes. Polis warned of worsening air quality due to wildfire smoke and urged residents to heed evacuation orders to ensure their safety.
In an unfortunate incident, a plane inadvertently dropped fire retardant containing phosphorous and ammonia into a canal leading to Boulder Reservoir. Although the reservoir was not used for drinking water, officials advised against fishing and keeping pets away from the area.
Nationwide, nearly 28,000 firefighters were tackling 95 large fires, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. This year saw nearly 7,000 square miles (18,000 square kilometres) burned, a significantly higher area than the 10-year average for this time of year.
Fires also caused evacuations in southeastern Wyoming, with around 65 people displaced from Hartville and Pleasant Valley. The Park Fire in Northern California had scorched 609 square miles (1,577 square kilometres), destroying 361 structures and threatening thousands more.
As the fire season intensified, firefighters in California focused on containment efforts in the Sequoia National Forest and other areas, while large fires continued to burn across Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Montana.
