Colorado wildfire: Blaze that destroyed 27 homes was human-caused, say officials

Larimer County, Colorado

The wildfire in the US state of Colorado that tore through 39 square kilometres and destroyed 48 buildings was human-caused, the news agency Associated Press reported early Saturday (Aug 10) citing officials.

This finding comes a day after the Larimer County Assessor released a report on Thursday (Aug 8) saying that 27 homes were destroyed, along with 21 outbuildings, and another four homes were damaged.

One person found dead

The Alexander Mountain Fire burning near Loveland, was one of several conflagrations that started up late last month and threatened urban areas north and south of the state’s capital city. Most of the wildfires have now been contained.

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The Associated Press reported that one person was found dead in a burned building. The death came in a fire near the town of Lyons that blackened more than six square kilometres. The person’s remains were discovered in one of five homes that burned, Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said last week. 

Another wildfire believed to be human-caused

Officials believe that another fire south of Loveland, which burned at the same time, was also human-caused.

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These wildfires in Colorado, part of nearly 100 burning across the United States (US) since late last month, have led to thousands of evacuations as firefighters worked in oftentimes treacherously steep terrain beneath the buzz of helicopters and planes zipping between reservoirs and the blazes.

Almost 18,000 square kilometres have burned nationwide so far this year, an area nearly the size of New Jersey and well above the 10-year average for this time of year.

(With inputs from agencies)