Wildfires Rage in Colorado and the West

By: Associated Press

Posted: Wed 5:21 PM, Jun 27, 2012

A raging wildfire roared through neighborhoods and forced 32,000
residents of Colorado Springs to flee their homes.

The 24-square mile fire scorched the edges of the U.S. Air Force
Academy on Wednesday. Thick smoke and towering flames cloaked the
full scope of damage to Colorado's second-largest city.

President Barack Obama plans to tour the area on Friday.

A separate fire burning in northern Colorado has grown to
136-square miles and destroyed 257 homes.

Elsewhere in the West, wildfires in central Utah and Billings,
Mont., have each destroyed dozens of homes and forced hundreds of
evacuations. Another wildfire in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National
Forest has charred about 19 square miles as of Wednesday.

Wednesday, May 22 Forecast Discussion