Current:Home > StocksHigh winds, severe drought, and warm temps led to Colorado's historic wildfire -NextFrontier Finance
High winds, severe drought, and warm temps led to Colorado's historic wildfire
View
Date:2025-04-27 06:45:13
An historic wildfire hit Colorado Thursday forcing the evacuation of more than 30,000 people, including patients at local hospitals. Hundreds of homes are reportedly destroyed from the fast-moving flames.
The Marshall Fire and Middle Fork Fire are considered the most destructive wildfires in Colorado history, according to a state legislator. Local meteorologists and climate experts say drought, heavy winds, and recent warm weather created the atmosphere for the wildfire to flourish.
Grass fires and 40-foot-high flames spread to nearly 1,600 acres and engulfed neighborhoods, Colorado Public Radio reported. Boulder County's Office of Emergency Management ordered residents in Louisville, Superior, and Broomfield, Colo. to evacuate.
High winds knocked down power lines in multiple areas, according to Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. Early evidence suggests a sparking power line could have ignited the fires. More than 20,000 people were still without power at around 12 a.m. MST Friday, according to Poweroutage.us.
Droughts and gusty winds are to blame
The late December wildfire is just the cap to a year filled with wild weather in the U.S.
Earlier this month, dozens of tornadoes tore through at least six states killing dozens. In October, a "bomb cyclone" hit Northern California causing more flooding, power outages, and mudslides. And in September, catastrophic levels of rain hit the East Coast causing serious flooding and killing 48 people.
Becky Bolinger, a climatologist at Colorado State University, tweeted the conditions that led to the Marshall Fire had been building for some time.
"The ingredients for a devastating wildfire have been coming together since last spring. A very wet spring 2021 helped grow the grasses," she tweeted. "A very dry summer and fall dried the grasses out and prepared the kindling."
Earlier this week before the wildfires broke out, Bolinger warned of how the warm and dry conditions were trouble and could burn out of control easily with strong winds.
Bolinger said, "We're in the dry season. Expect more fires. Expect more dust events."
The National Weather Service Boulder office said from July 1 to Dec. 29, "Denver has been the driest on record by over an inch. Snowfall is at record low levels, too."
Then came the strong winds on Thursday.
The National Weather Service reported wind gusts of up to 105 mph at the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 72 in Colorado. Later Colorado State Patrol reported Highway 93 closed after several vehicles were blown over from the wind.
veryGood! (59)
Related
- Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
- TikToker Kyle Marisa Roth’s Cause of Death Revealed
- South Dakota Supreme Court denies bid to exclude ballots initially rejected from June election
- PHOTO COLLECTION: AP Top Photos of the Day Monday August 19, 2024
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Pregnant Brittany Mahomes Shares Adorable Glimpse at Bedtime Routine With Patrick and Their Kids
- D.C. councilman charged with bribery in scheme to extend $5.2 million in city contracts
- Danielle Fishel’s Husband Jensen Karp Speaks Out After She Shares Breast Cancer Diagnosis
- NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
- A woman accused of aiding an escaped prisoner appears in a North Carolina court
Ranking
- Beware of giant spiders: Thousands of tarantulas to emerge in 3 states for mating season
- Horoscopes Today, August 18, 2024
- 3 killed in Washington state house fire were also shot; victim’s husband wanted
- Why Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy told players' agents to stop 'asking for more money'
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Archaeologists find mastodon skull in Iowa, search for evidence it interacted with humans
- Ruff and tumble: Great Pyrenees wins Minnesota town's mayoral race in crowded field
- 3 killed in Washington state house fire were also shot; victim’s husband wanted
Recommendation
Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
Body cam video shows fatal Fort Lee police shooting unfolded in seconds
A North Carolina woman dies after going on a Vodou retreat in Haiti. Her son wants answers.
Bama Rush: Recruits celebrate sorority fanfare with 2024 Bid Day reveals
New Orleans mayor’s former bodyguard making first court appearance after July indictment
Ernesto strengthens to Category 1 hurricane; storm's swells lead to 3 deaths: Updates
Maker of prepared meals will hire 300 new workers in $6 million Georgia expansion
1000-Lb. Sisters' Tammy Slaton Shows Off 500 Pound Weight Loss Transformation in New Video