A rapidly spreading wildfire southwest of Denver has forced thousands of residents to evacuate as strong winds continue to drive flames across southern Colorado. The blaze, dubbed the Aspen Acres Fire, exploded in size overnight, growing by 44 square kilometers to reach a total of 272 square kilometers by Friday.

More than 160 structures have been destroyed, and authorities have ordered the evacuation of about 2,200 people in Colorado City and nearby communities of Beulah, Rye, and San Isabel. Smoke from the fire has disrupted travel, with visibility along Interstate 25 dropping to as little as 0.8 kilometers.

Experts say months of dry weather and record-low snowfall in the region, exacerbated by climate change, have created dangerous wildfire conditions. Investigators have confirmed the fire was human-caused but have not released further details.

About 50 Colorado National Guard soldiers have been deployed to staff road checkpoints and assist with water-scooping operations at Pueblo Reservoir. The Aspen Acres Fire is one of about 40 large fires currently burning across the western United States.

In neighboring Utah, the Cottonwood Fire has grown to over 380 square kilometers, while the Babylon Fire reached 344 square kilometers. The Snyder Fire on the Colorado-Utah border is only 65% contained.

These fires come less than a week after three firefighters were killed and two injured while battling blazes in the Snyder complex. Wildfire smoke advisories are in effect for parts of Colorado, and several professional Fourth of July fireworks displays have been canceled due to extreme fire risk.

The National Weather Service has kept Red Flag Warnings in place across much of the state, with hot, dry conditions and gusty winds expected to continue. While moister weather over the weekend may help, forecasters warn that heavy rain could increase the risk of flash flooding in recently burned areas.

Source: www.aljazeera.com