Over 300 homes lost in Colorado wildfires

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Officials in the US State of Colorado announced on Thursday that hundreds of residential homes are feared lost after wildfires ripped through them.

Boulder Country Sherriff Joe Pelle reported during a news conference that "approximately 370 homes in the Sagamore subdivision... have been lost. There's a potential of 210 homes lost in Old Town Superior."

The Sheriff added that deaths and injuries are expected as the blaze ripped through 1,600 acres in Boulder County and torched hotels and commercial malls in Superior town.

Six people have been admitted to hospital care, and the Colorado Sun newspaper reported numerous being treated for burns. 

The National Weather Service has described the situation as "life-threatening", instructing thousands from Louisville and Superior to escape the fast-moving fire, which is believed to have started when power lines were knocked down by strong winds.

One of the many factors that lead to the devastating wildfire today is the recent record dryness. For all periods from Jul 1st to Dec 29th (essentially the second half of the year), Denver has been the driest on record by over an inch. Snowfall is at record low levels, too. #COwx pic.twitter.com/8OriOBPyTs

— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) December 31, 2021

At least one first responder and six others were injured in the fires that began Thursday morning, unusually late in the year and following an extremely dry fall and a winter so far nearly devoid of snow. Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle acknowledged that more injuries and also deaths could be possible due to the intensity of fires that quickly swept across the region.

“This is the kind of fire we can’t fight head-on,” Pelle said. “We actually had deputy sheriffs and firefighters in areas that had to pull out because they just got overrun,” he added.

Wind gusts of more than 100 miles per hour have been observed in some areas, fueling the flames and hindering firefighting efforts by prohibiting planes from flying.

Colorado, like most of the American West, has suffered from years-long drought, leaving it susceptible to wildfire. 

Wildfire intensity and recurrence have been increasing, and climate experts warn that human activities could be the reason.