MANDATORY EVACUATIONS

Wildfires Rage Across Colorado

Thousands of homes abandoned.

Raging wildfires have prompted a mandatory evacuation order for about 5,000 homes across 24,000 acres in Colorado. “Complacency is a dangerous gamble,” El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said, and noted that some people were ignoring the evacuation order, while others were having a hard time getting out of their homes. “We have some folks that were having difficulty. We are focused on our elderly population that may have difficulty moving and people trying to move animals out. It has gone from an evac to somewhat of a search and rescue.” Over 150 firefighters alongside members of the National Guard were sent to take on the flames, which had burned at least 7,500 acres by Tuesday night. Several structures have been burned, but no deaths are reported so far.