Colorado fire: Up to 1,000 homes burned to ground as inferno declared most destructive ever
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Your support makes all the difference.Up to 1,000 homes have been burned in what is being called the most destructive blaze in Colorado’s history.
Horrifying aerial footage shows the devastating impact of the fast-moving wildfire fanned by powerful winds that ripped through towns near Boulder,Colorado, on Thursday, prompting the evacuation of about 30,000 residents.
As the fires raged, startling video, filmed from a plane flying above the state, shows the towns of Superior and Louisville engulfed in flames at multiple locations.
Officials have declared the fire the most devastating ever to impact the state.
Governor Jared Polis declared a state of emergency, allowing the state to deploy emergency funds and resources including Colorado National Guard.
The wind gusts of 110 miles per hour had pushed fire at an astonishing speed, burning across 6,000 acres and destroying more than 500 homes — possibly as many as 1,000. Some owners watched on door-cams as fire approached their homes.
“This fire is, frankly, a force of nature,” said Mr Polis. “For those who have lost everything that they’ve had, know that we will be there for you to help rebuild your lives.”
The grass fire is believed to have been ignited by sparks from power lines and transformers toppled by high winds of Colorado’s drought-parched Front Range, according to Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle.
The Boulder Office of Emergency Management has urged residents not to return to their homes.
Biden speaks with Governor Polis
The White House has provided a readout of President Joe Biden’s call with Colorado Governor Jared Polis. The President spoke this morning with Governor Jared Polis to discuss the no-notice wildfires that have caused significant property damage and loss in Colorado. Governor Polis described the impacts and the need for additional Federal support, and the President assured him that every effort will be made to provide immediate help to people in the impacted communities. FEMA Administrator Criswell and her team are already working with their counterparts in Colorado to surge assistance. Fortunately, snowfall will help bring an end to the fires, and recovery efforts can get underway. The President is grateful to all of the first responders who have come to the aid of Colorado communities and families impacted by the fires.
Evacuated residents saw flames advance on homes via doorbell cameras after fleeing
Evacuated Colorado residents watch on doorbell cameras as their homes burn
When cameras go offline, residents no longer know if their home has been destroyed or not
Eco-friendly hotel destroyed in blaze
One of the structures destroyed by the wildfire as it swept through Superior was the Element Hotel, an eco-friendly property that was part of the Westin brand owned by Marriott.
Photographs show flames overwhelming the building on Thursday.
Striking mages capture destruction of thousands of homes in Colorado
Images have captured just a glimpse of the destruction caused by a wildfire in Colorado, which has razed up to 1,000 homes.
State officials said Friday that the fire is likely the most destructive the state has ever experienced.
See the images in Oliver O’Connell’s story below...
Shocking images of the Colorado wildfires with as many as 1,000 homes destroyed
Whole communities have been left devastated
Shocking drone footage shows fire devastation in Louisville, Colorado
Drone footage captured by Weather Nation correspondant Brandon Clement captures the devastation caused by the ongoing wildfire in Colorado, which officials believe may be the most destructive in the state’s history.
The footage shows the ashy remains of hundreds of homes left in the blaze’s wake.
Governor Polis says no deaths have been confirmed in Colorado wildfires, calls it a “New Year's miracle”
Governor Jared Polis of Colorado said that there have been no confirmed deaths in the wildfires that have destroyed up to 1,000 homes.
He said the fact that there have thus far been no reported deaths a “New Year’s miracle.”
“We might have our very own New Year’s miracle on our hands if it holds up that there was no loss of life,” he said.
The fire has caused approximately 35,000 people to flee their homes and neighborhoods.
Governor Jared Polis directs donors to give to wildfire fund
Governor Jared Polis has called for individuals interested in donating funds to help the victims of a wildfire in Colorado that has destroyed up to 1,000 homes.
Mr Polis recommends donors give money to the Boulder County Wildfire Fund “for the most immediate impact.”
Video shows burned out remains of Colorado homes
A Denver Post journalist shared a video of a Colorado neighborhood leveled by wildfire.
Birds chirp in charred trees as the camera pans, showing homes burned to the foundation, with only outlines of the homes’ former walls remaining.
Tufts of smoke can still be seen wafting through the air.
Terrifying footage from inside Colorado Chuck E Cheese as 110 mph winds drive wildfire into neighborhood
Video shot from inside a Chuck E Cheese as reportedly 110mph (177kph) winds drove the Colorado wildfire into a neighborhood show the panic felt by residents as they prepare to flee the restaurant.
Parents can be seen scrambling to collect their children as the high-speed winds bend trees outside.
For comparison, a hurricane is considered a category three when winds reach 111mph (178kph).
Photo shows Colorado medical workers watching wildfire burn outside hospital
A photo captured the moment a group of Colorado medical workers watched as the flames from a wildfire that destroyed up to 1,000 homes leapt high into the sky.
No deaths have been attributed to the wildfire at this time, according to Governor Jared Polis.
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