Colorado: Hundreds of homes destroyed as wildfires spread
The fast-moving fires are burning in Boulder County, north of Denver and officials say deaths and injuries are likely as the blazes spread further. Some 30,000 people in the towns of Louisville and Superior were told to leave their homes.
Meanwhile, a state of emergency has been declared by Governor Jared Polis. Winds of up to 169 kilometres per hour are sweeping flames across the region following a historic drought. And while previous fires in Colorado have been in rural areas, these latest blazes are taking place in more suburban parts of the state.
At least some were sparked when power lines were toppled by strong winds and they have quickly become the most destructive wildfires in the modern history of the state. The Marshall Fire continues to burn out of control in Broomfield, Colorado.
Colorado has been experiencing extreme droughts in recent years. Climate change increases the risk of the hot, dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires.
The world has already warmed by about 1.2 degrees Celsius since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.