Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said at a news conference that hundreds of structures were destroyed and thousands had to be evacuated.
As of Thursday night, 580 homes had been lost in and around Superior, Pelle said. The Target shopping complex and the Element hotel in Superior were also engulfed in flames.
The fire now covers 1,600 acres and has spread eastward through Superior and Louisville, southeast of Boulder.
There have been no reports of cause and effect or missing people, but Pelle said he wouldn’t be surprised if the number increased.
“I would like to emphasize that given the size of this fire, the intensity of this fire and its presence in such a densely populated area, we would not be surprised if there were injuries or deaths. ,” said Pelle.
One officer was slightly injured.
According to Colorado Governor Jared Polis, state planes were unable to fly due to windy conditions. They hope to be able to lift the plane up to see the damage when it’s safe, he said.
“This fire, to be honest, is a force of nature,” says Polis.
Pelle said that officials will conduct a damage assessment as soon as possible, when it is safe to do so. He said winds are expected to ease on Friday and officials will have a chance to get out and survey the damage.
