The Colorado wildfire that destroyed 27 homes was caused by humans, officials say

The Colorado blaze, which tore through 15 square miles (39 square kilometers) and destroyed 48 buildings, more than half of them homes, was caused by humans, investigators said.

The Alexander Mountain fire burning near Loveland, about an hour’s drive north of Denver, was one of several fires that started late last month and threatened urban areas north and south of the state capital. Most of the wildfires have now been contained. One person was found dead in a burning building.

U.S. Forest Service investigators, working alongside the local sheriff’s office, have not released more information on whether they believe the Mount Alexander fire was started intentionally or if there is a suspect. The Larimer County Assessor released a report Thursday that found 27 homes were destroyed, along with 21 outbuildings, and four other homes were damaged.

Officials believe another fire south of Loveland that burned at the same time was also human-caused.

The fires in Colorado, part of nearly 100 burning across the U.S. late last month, prompted thousands of evacuations as firefighters often worked on steep terrain amid the noise of helicopters and planes passing between reservoirs and fires.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

TOPICS
Catastrophe Natural disasters Fire in Colorado