fire
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Aspen Acres fire destroys 850 structures, including 254 homes in Pueblo County
The Aspen Acres fire has destroyed about 850 structures, making it among the most destructive in state history, fire officials said Friday. Firefighters count all structures lost in a fire, including barns and sheds, while county officials have focused on tallying homes. Despite the number of structures lost, “There were a lot of good saves,”…
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Tapped: As fire risk climbs, Colorado faces threat to drinking water
Specialists surveying Colorado’s forests know this year will be challenging. Snow melted too quickly, strong winds dried out the trees, and the early signs of danger are already settling across the landscape. Wildfire season is no longer confined to a few months — it’s a year‑round reality, they said. And this year, the risk is…
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Aurora wildland fire contained at Buckley Space Force Base
A wildland fire burned Sunday morning on the southwest end of Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, authorities said. The fire no longer posed a threat and crews were clearing the scene as of 10:53 a.m., according to Aurora Fire Rescue. Aurora Fire Rescue and the Aurora Police Department first responded to the fire burning…
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Denver area smoke blowing in from Nebraska fires
The Denver area became enveloped in a thick haze Thursday afternoon as smoke blew in from fires to the east, the National Weather Service said. Originating from the Ashby and Minor fires in the Sandhills of Nebraska, the smoke began moving southwest across Colorado Thursday morning, NWS officials said on its website. The smoke entered…
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Appeals court reinstates Garfield County arson charge
Colorado’s second-highest court reinstated a Garfield County defendant’s arson charge on Thursday, concluding a trial judge improperly credited a witness’s claim that she alone was responsible for starting the fire. A sheriff’s deputy responded to a brush fire near Parachute in May 2024, next to a residential neighborhood. Witness statements and video evidence suggested Tiana…
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Xcel says high winds likely to bring power shutoffs to Front Range Wednesday
Schools prepare to cancel, modify classes As the Front Range braces for wind gusts of up to 80 mph Wednesday, Xcel Energy let customers know that they may experience power shutoffs. Already, some of the school districts have begun preparations to cancel or modify school hours. In an alert Tuesday morning, the energy provider said…
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Fire at Nederland shopping center destroys ‘heart of town’
An early morning fire at a shopping center in Nederland destroyed more than a dozen businesses in what residents called a devastating blow to the heart of the town. The fire also prompted an evacuation order in Boulder County Business owners and residents said they worry about how long the recovery would take, and some…
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10th Circuit says Lakewood sergeant has immunity for fatally shooting man in burning basement
The Denver-based federal appeals court agreed on Thursday that a Lakewood police sergeant did not violate a man’s constitutional rights by shooting and killing him while trying to evacuate him from a burning basement. Jason Waterhouse was behaving erratically when he barricaded himself in the basement of his sister’s home, then started a fire while…
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Federal judge grants immunity to Lakewood sergeant for deadly shooting
A federal judge concluded last month that a Lakewood police sergeant did not violate a man’s constitutional rights by shooting and killing him while trying to evacuate him from a burning basement. Jason Waterhouse was behaving erratically when he barricaded himself in the basement of his sister’s home, then started a fire while officers attempted…
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Fire at Suncor’s Commerce City refinery extinguished quickly
A fire at Suncor’s Commerce City refinery was quickly extinguished by company emergency response teams Tuesday, according to company officials. The fire occurred during a shutdown of Plant 2 that began Saturday and is now being completed, according to a news release. Federal lawsuit against the EPA in Gold King mine disaster moves forward Emergency…