Current:Home > ScamsHigh winds, severe drought, and warm temps led to Colorado's historic wildfire-InfoLens
High winds, severe drought, and warm temps led to Colorado's historic wildfire
View Date:2024-12-23 16:32:49
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! (4751)
Related
- Bodyless head washes ashore on a South Florida beach
- TikToker Mikayla Nogueira Addresses Claim She Lost 30 Lbs. on Ozempic
- Travis Barker Gives Kids Alabama and Landon These $140,000 Gifts for Christmas
- U.S. appeals court grants Apple's request to pause smartwatch import ban
- What Just Happened to the Idea of Progress?
- Teen killed when Louisiana police chase ends in a fiery crash
- A helicopter crashes into a canal near Miami and firefighters rescue both people on board
- Detroit Pistons lose 27th straight game, set NBA single-season record for futility
- Amazon Best Books of 2024 revealed: Top 10 span genres but all 'make you feel deeply'
- Spoilers! Why Zac Efron 'lost it' in emotional ending scene of new movie 'The Iron Claw'
Ranking
- High-scoring night in NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo explodes for 59, Victor Wembanyama for 50
- Trump ballot ban appealed to US Supreme Court by Colorado Republican Party
- $1.58 billion Mega Millions winner in Florida revealed
- Israeli strikes across Gaza kill dozens of Palestinians, even in largely emptied north
- Trump pledged to roll back protections for transgender students. They’re flooding crisis hotlines
- Man awaiting trial for quadruple homicide in Maine withdraws insanity plea
- Flag football gives female players sense of community, scholarship options and soon shot at Olympics
- Utah therapist Jodi Hildebrandt pleads guilty to abusing children with YouTube mom Ruby Franke
Recommendation
-
Dramatic video shows Phoenix police rescue, pull man from car submerged in pool: Watch
-
Teddi Mellencamp Gets Shoulder Skin Cut Out in Surgery Amid Cancer Battle
-
Commanders bench Sam Howell, will start Jacoby Brissett at QB vs. 49ers
-
Myopia affects 4 in 10 people and may soon affect 5 in 10. Here's what it is and how to treat it.
-
CFP bracket prediction: SEC adds a fifth team to field while a Big Ten unbeaten falls out
-
A legendary Paris restaurant reopens with a view of Notre Dame’s rebirth and the 2024 Olympics
-
Cameron and Cayden Boozer among 2026 NBA draft hopefuls playing in holiday tournament
-
Gypsy Rose Blanchard's release from prison latest twist in shocking Munchausen by Proxy case