One person has been confirmed killed and at least five homes destroyed after Colorado became the latest western state to battle several major wildfires.
The Boulder county sheriff, Curtis Johnson, reported that the death was discovered in one of the five homes burned by the Stone Canyon fire near the town of Lyon, but did not provide further details. The fire has burned more than 1,500 acres (607 hectares) and was reported 20% contained on Wednesday evening.
The Lyon fire is one of several major wildfires raging in Colorado’s Front Range, a densely populated corridor that includes Denver and stretches along the eastern edge of the Rocky mountains.
Close to 600 homes west of the small town of Conifer in the Denver metro area were reportedly forced to evacuate as the the Quarry fire continued to grow.
According to available reports, the fire began on Tuesday and by Thursday afternoon, firefighting aircrafts were zipping back and forth between the blaze and a nearby reservoir, dumping water over the flames.
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Five firefighters were injured Wednesday, including four who had heat exhaustion, said Mark Techmeyer, a spokesperson with the Jefferson county sheriff’s office.
The fire was in steep terrain that made it difficult to access, but no houses had been destroyed yet, authorities said. Officials said it remained a major hazard with hot temperatures and low humidity elevating the fire danger.
The fire has “proven to be one of the most challenging firefights I’ve seen”, Techmeyer said at a press conference Thursday as helicopters passed overhead.
“I haven’t been to bed,” 85-year-old Elden Coombs told the Denver Post after evacuating in the middle of the night from his home and being informed by authorities the evacuation could last for days. “I just hope they get the fire under control.”
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
