Three people missing, considered dead after Colorado wildfires

Three people are missing and nearly 1,000 houses are burned down after Thursday's wildfire in Colorado.

The three missing are feared to be dead after one of the most destructive wildfires in state history. While officials said they were still searching for these individuals, the search has been hampered by the smoking debris and snowfall.

"Their homes are destroyed, potentially there are human remains in those homes," Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said at a Saturday news briefing. "The debris is hot, it's all fallen in, and it's now covered with eight inches of snow."

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Two people are currently missing from the town of Superior, and one is missing from Marshall, Pelle said. Each suspected missing person lost their home to the wildfire.

Pelle lamented the loss of three lives but was grateful that the fatality count wasn't higher. "We hope that within the next couple days, we can help families and perhaps recover remains or confirm that they're not there," Pelle said.

Preliminary tallies estimate that nearly 991 homes and businesses were destroyed by the wildfire, including 553 in Louisville, 332 in Superior, and 106 in unincorporated Boulder County, Pelle said.

The cause of the wildfire is still under investigation, Pelle said. Investigators have found no downed power lines and searched a local property while probing for the fire's cause.

Rapidly spreading fires driven by strong winds forced more than 34,000 people to evacuate Boulder County on Thursday. The blazes were driven by strong winds, including gusts recorded at 110 mph. In about two hours, the fire scorched 6,000 acres of land, officials said. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency in response.

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The wildfire slowed down when a snowstorm blew through the area on Friday, covering the area in several inches of snow.

President Joe Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Colorado on Saturday, which will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin providing aid through local and state lines.

Original Location: Three people missing, considered dead after Colorado wildfires

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