Colorado wildfires: Thousands forced to evacuate as hundreds of homes destroyed

The Governor of Colorado has declared a state of emergency as the intensity of fires and strong winds force residents north of Denver to flee their homes.

An estimated 580 homes, a hotel and a shopping centre have burned and tens of thousands of people were evacuated in wind-fueled wildfires outside Denver, officials said.

At least one first responder and six others were injured, though Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle acknowledged there could be more injuries and deaths due to the intensity of fires that quickly swept across the region as winds gusted up to 105mph.

The fires prompted Governor Jared Polis to declare a state of emergency, allowing the state to access disaster emergency funds.

Evacuations have been ordered for the city of Louisville, home to about 21,000 people, and Superior, which has another 13,000 residents.

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