Three people are missing and feared as a result of heavy fighting in Colorado, according to Reuters

By Keith Coffman

DENVER (Reuters) – Three people are missing and fear dead after a wind-blown fire swept through two towns in Boulder County, Colorado, resulting in thousands of evacuations and the destruction of nearly 1,000 homes, authorities said on Saturday.

Officials initially said there were no reports of dead or missing residents as a result of a rare city fire on the northern outskirts of the Denver metropolitan area on Thursday morning.

Wind gusts of more than 100,000 miles (160 km / h) pushed the flames eastward to Superior and Louisville, and evacuated both communities.

In about two hours, the fire burned 6,000 acres, authorities said.

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said the three missing people, whom he refused to identify, were all living in homes that were consumed by fire.

“The structures that these people are supposed to be in are completely destroyed and covered in snow for about eight inches,” Pell said in a Saturday news release, and they will open the dead dogs on Sunday to search the homes.

Pell said the 991 homes in Superior, Louisville, and the county have been destroyed, making it the most devastating fire in state history in terms of lost homes.

Officials initially said the sparks from the power lines blown by the wind had sparked the fire, but an inspection was carried out by the service company. Xcel Energy (NASDAQ 🙂 No damaged or fallen lines were found near the alleged source of the fire.

Pell said detectives are investigating all avenues to find out what started the fire. Following a tip, the sheriff said a search warrant had been issued in connection with the investigation, but declined to provide details.

U.S. President Joe Biden described the scene as a national disaster and released federal funds to help rehabilitate affected individuals and businesses, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a statement.