The wind-fueled flames of the Marshall Fire dashed from house to house yesterday, torching entire neighborhoods and skipping others, indiscriminately destroying lives and capping a difficult year in Colorado.
The latest: The orange flames that lit up the skies around Boulder County left behind a black-and-white scene Friday, as snow fell on charred homes and piles of gray ash.
The Boulder, Colorado-area wildfires — the most destructive in state history — were likely made worse by the effects of climate change, including extremely dry conditions and long stretches of record warm weather in recent months.
Why it matters: The Marshall Fire that consumed at least 1,600 acres on Thursday destroyed nearly 600 homes, Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said at a Thursday news conference.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said Friday that President Biden would offer an expedited major disaster declaration to help rebuild and provide aid to those that lost their homes in the fast-moving Marshall Fire, which consumed around 1,600 acres and destroyed more than 500 homes.
The big picture: It's the most destructive fire in state history.
Ferocious hurricane-force winds helped spark wildfires that spread to over 1,600 acres and prompted hasty evacuations near Denver, Colorado, including the entire town of Superior and city of Louisville.
The latest: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency Thursday afternoon as a result of the fires, enabling the government to access emergency disaster funds in response to the situation.
