Three People Missing, Nearly 1,000 Houses Destroyed After Colorado Wildfires

Devastating wind-whipped wildfires began in Boulder County, Colorado, on 30 December.

Three people have been reported as missing and possibly dead after wind-stoked wildfires struck Boulder County, Colorado. The worst of them, the Marshall Fire, has been called the most devastating blaze in the history of Colorado, destroying over six thousand acres of land in or adjacent to affluent suburban communities where average annual incomes top $100,000 per year.

Cadaver dogs will be used to search for the missing people, according to Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle.

"The structures where these folks would be are completely destroyed and covered with about 8 inches of snow right now," Pelle said, adding that the wildfires have destroyed 991 homes.

Most of the houses that were destroyed were in Louisville. The fires also affected housing in the neighbouring town of Superior and the surrounding area.

According to reports, overnight heavy snowfalls mostly extinguished the destructive wildfires. It is reported that 15 centimetres of snow fell in some areas.

Boulder County officials previously reported that no one was injured as a result of the wildfires. However, later they provided updated data.

Over 30,000 people have evacuated the area since Thursday.

Earlier, President Joe Biden approved an expedited state of emergency due to the massive wildfires.

The wildfires began in Boulder County, Colorado on Thursday morning, according to a preliminary report, due to a short circuit in power lines. Due to dry grass and windy weather, the flames spread very quickly, with some families having literally several minutes to flee their homes before the residences were engulfed in flames.