Three people missing after devastating wildfires in Colorado | abroad

“We’re fortunate we don’t have a list of 100 missing persons,” Boulder Police Chief Joe Bailey said at a news conference. He added that the search for the three missing persons is difficult. “The buildings that these people were supposed to be in have been completely destroyed and covered in a twenty centimeter layer of snow.”

The police chief said that, contrary to previous reports, the fire was not caused by power lines being cut. An investigation is still underway to determine how the forest fire broke out.

At least 33,000 people received evacuation orders on Thursday after the fire broke out, caused by winds of nearly 100 miles per hour. This made the fire very destructive.

Bushfires engulfed entire neighborhoods in the municipalities of Superior and Louisville on Thursday. At least 991 homes were set ablaze. It happened “in the blink of an eye,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis. “Families only had minutes to pack whatever they could bring — their pets and children — into the car and leave,” the governor said.

The spread of the fire was largely paralyzed by snowfall on Friday. Wildfires are more common in Colorado, but not usually this time of year. The US state has been experiencing severe drought for years, which makes the subsoil more flammable.

Since then, the authorities have been able to withdraw all of their evacuation orders. People with respiratory problems are strongly advised to stay indoors and close windows and doors, as snow and wind prevent smoke from burning and glowing vegetation near the ground.

Also watch out: Residents flee in panic due to forest fires