The scene of the Cottonwood Fire in Beaver, Utah, on June 30 (local time). [AP]
The scene of the Cottonwood Fire in Beaver, Utah, on June 30 (local time). [AP]

A series of massive wildfires sweeping through the interior US West has prompted emergency declarations and forced thousands of residents to evacuate.

Dozens of fires are burning simultaneously across the region, with red-flag warnings in effect in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and Nebraska, according to CNN and other outlets on Monday (local time).

Colorado has suffered the worst damage. State officials said 16 separate fires were burning across the state as of Sunday night.

The Snyder Fire, which broke out June 26 along the Colorado-Utah border, has scorched 30,200 acres (about 129 square kilometers). It spread rapidly after merging with the nearby Knolls Fire and Gore Fire.

Three firefighters died and two others were injured after becoming trapped by flames while battling the blazes.

Separately, the Aspen Acres Fire in southern Colorado grew to 28,000 acres and destroyed 155 structures, prompting emergency evacuation orders for thousands of residents in Pueblo and Custer counties and surrounding areas.

Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency and deployed the National Guard to support firefighting efforts.

The situation in neighboring Utah is equally dire. Twelve fires are burning across the state, and the Cottonwood Fire in the south has burned approximately 100,000 acres and destroyed 150 structures, with containment at just 4 percent. CNN described it as the most destructive wildfire in Utah's history.

In the state's southeast, the Babylon Fire has forced the closure of roughly 40,000 acres of national forest and national park land.

Strong winds and dry conditions have also significantly elevated wildfire risk in northern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico.

Colorado and Utah have banned all fireworks ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations this weekend, citing the extreme fire danger.

The National Interagency Fire Center raised the national wildfire response preparedness level to 4 out of a maximum 5, committing additional federal firefighting personnel and equipment to the region.


betterj@heraldcorp.com