Climate Extremes Spur Colorado Wildfires That Burn Hundreds Of Homes And Force Evacuations

DENVER — An estimated 580 homes, a hotel and a shopping center have burned and tens of thousands of people were evacuated in wind-fueled wildfires outside Denver, officials said Thursday evening. Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said only one injury has been reported, but didn’t rule out finding out later about more severe injuries or death due to the intensity of fires that quickly swept across the region as winds gusted up to 105 mph. The wildfires, spanning 2.5 square miles, engulfed parts of the area in smoky, orangish skies as residents scrambled to get to safety. The city of Louisville, which has a population of about 21,000, was ordered to evacuate after residents in Superior, which has 13,000 residents, were told to leave.