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.
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.
