A wildfire in Colorado has forced more than 1,000 home evacuations, with several thousand more warned to be ready to leave, The Denver Post reports.
The fire, first reported 2:30 a.m. Denver time Sunday, is estimated to be at least 30 acres in size and has not been at all contained. It is in the Sunshine Canyon area west of Boulder, leading to the hashtag #SunshineFire trending on Twitter.
There are no reports of homes being lost or damaged so far.
Evacuations in place for #SunshineFire - evac point is currently Boulder High. Please avoid Wonderland Lake - being used for water refill pic.twitter.com/jqVq50l0z8
— Boulder OEM (@BoulderOEM) March 19, 2017
Here's a distant look at the wildfire.
It looks like it's going to be very hot and very dry, and potential winds up to 20 mph. Which is not good.
Firefighters are facing "rough" conditions to battle the blaze, Boulder Office of Emergency Management spokeswoman Gabi Boerkircher said. Winds are expected to pick up later in the day, and the high temperature in the area is forecast for 79 degrees with low humidity.
Perspective of #SunshineFire and proximity to Boulder from @BoulderOEM at 7a. Green = Evacuation. Red = "pre-evac" in the city. pic.twitter.com/12QDlgn4tB
— Marshall Zelinger (@MarshallZSays) March 19, 2017
This map shows the area of evacuations and "pre-evacuations."
Retweeted Eve Godat (@evegodat):#SunshineFire #BoulderFire @BoulderOEM pic.twitter.com/4YpXYA7opU https://t.co/mewYRfnoAz
— Richard Lazzara (@shankargallery) March 19, 2017
Here's another look at the wildfire.
Evacuated from our new home 4th/Pearl 6am @boulderfire #sunshinefire #Boulderfire Praying for animals and neighbors pic.twitter.com/6CtsTph0cZ
— KathyDragon (@kathydragon) March 19, 2017
#BoulderFire #SunshineFire view from downtown. Scary stuff! pic.twitter.com/bUanZhzMwp
— Nick Poulden (@nick_p) March 19, 2017
Retweeted Mark Gelband (@markgelband):#sunshinefire #boulderfire east - west pic.twitter.com/o8qj6Sqrot https://t.co/OVTlT0QnBp
— Richard Lazzara (@shankargallery) March 19, 2017
Planes now doing slurry runs on the #SunshineFire (pic via @PaulAikenBDC) #Boulder pic.twitter.com/8IqqdN8azK
— Mitchell Byars (@mitchellbyars) March 19, 2017
Firefighting planes were soaring over the area.
Last year saw many dangerous wildfires throughout the country, including deadly blazes in Tennessee and California, as well as blazes in North Carolina and Arizona.
Banner image by Seth Frankel (@SethFrankel on Twitter). Used with permission.
