Wildfires burn hundreds of homes in Colorado, thousands flee

By BRITTANY PETERSON, PATTY NIEBERG and COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press/Report for America

SUPERIOR, Colo. (AP) — Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle says Friday at least 500 homes were likely destroyed and there were no known deaths in a wind-fueled wildfire outside Denver. Tens of thousands of Coloradans driven from their neighborhoods by wind-whipped wildfires are anxiously waiting to learn what’s left standing of their lives after the flames burned homes, a hotel and a shopping center. The fires erupted Thursday outside Denver, following an extremely dry fall and a winter so far nearly devoid of snow. At least one first responder and six other people have been injured, and the sheriff says there could be more hurt — or dead.