Two Remain Missing in Colorado Fire That Ravaged Thousands of Acres, Destroyed Hundreds of Homes

The wildfire that erupted on Thursday ravaged areas of Superior, Louisville, and Boulder counties in Colorado, destroying some 6,000 acres and 991 structures, and damaging another 127, according to preliminary reports from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.

Colorado's Boulder County Sheriff’s Office announced at a Sunday conference that one of the three individuals who had initially been declared missing has been found, with officials still on the search for the two others. No deaths have been reported.

The two missing individuals are feared to be dead, as the unnamed missing persons lived in homes that were destroyed. Search dogs, trained in finding human remains, are searching the burned buildings.

The fire - the most destructive in the state’s history - was aided by a combination of environmental factors, including a drought, unseasonably warm weather, and record-high winds. High sustained winds, with 110-mph gusts were recorded, creating a perfect environment for the fire to spread; however, what initially caused the fire remains unknown.

While it was first believed that the fire started due to downed power lines caused by the extreme wind, Xcel Energy denied the claim, asserting that it did not find any downed power lines in the ignition area. The power company suggested also that downed communication lines were mistakenly identified as power lines.

Police have not ruled out arson or negligence for the cause of the fire, and have said they will hold any responsible parties accountable. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on a property in connection to the fire on Saturday, but no charges were filed.

A video of a burning shed off of Colorado Highway 93 has gotten the attention of the authorities as a possible source of the fire.

That barn is the initial source of the Marshall Fire, I'm at the stop light between S Foothill Highway (H 93), Marshall road and Eldorado Springs road. There is no fire beyond this point towards the west side. (11:30AM)#Boulder #Marshall #fire #ClimateEmergency #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/OFB8hnkAGC

— Anjan Sapkota (@asp321) December 31, 2021

The shed is on the property of Twelve Tribes, a Christian religious sect with a small community in Boulder, Colorado, and additional communities reportedly spread around the globe.