Colorado Wildfire Burns Hundreds of Homes and Forces Evacuations (photos&videos)

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated and hundreds of homes have
been destroyed as wildfires spread through the US state of Colorado.

The fast-moving fires are burning in Boulder County, north of Denver, and
officials say deaths and injuries are likely as the blazes spread further.

Some 30,000 people in the towns of Louisville and Superior were told to leave
their homes on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a state of emergency has been declared by Governor Jared Polis.

"This fire is not so much a question of resources," he told a press
conference. "This fire is a force of nature."

"We hope that the winds die down, that the weather changes," he added. "But
for those who are directly affected, know that you don't stand alone."

Winds of up to 105 mph (169 kph) are sweeping flames across the region
following a historic drought.

And while previous fires in Colorado have been in rural areas, these latest
blazes are taking place in more suburban parts of the state.

This is absolutely gut wrenching.

The wildfire ongoing near Boulder, Colorado is being fueled by wind gusts that are so strong it’s nearly impossible to contain it all.

Praying for those families that lost today. #MarshallFire pic.twitter.com/QOiiUREZAI

— Tyler Roney (@TylerJRoney) December 31, 2021

At least some were sparked when power lines were toppled by strong winds, and
they have quickly become the most destructive wildfires in the modern history
of the state.

With information from bbc.com