Colorado Wildfire Threatens Homes

BERTHOUD, Colo. —  A fast-growing wildfire whipped by 50-mph wind gusts threatened up to 50 houses and consumed 600 acres of grass, brush and timber in the foothills Wednesday night.

Residents said at least one house burned, but authorities said they could not confirm that any structures were lost. Earlier, they said two houses were destroyed.

About 70 firefighters were at the fire near Carter Lake, 10 miles west of Berthoud and 40 miles northwest of Denver. About 120 firefighters were expected Thursday.

“I’ve never seen wind like that before. No kidding, I could lean against it and not fall down,” said Robin Smith, who left his house west of Berthoud after a neighbor’s house burned.

The neighbor said, “My house is up. Get out of here,” Smith said.

Smith and his wife, Anne Marie, grabbed insurance papers and a few valuables and drove down the steep, winding dirt road to Berthoud. They brought one of their cats but couldn’t find two others.

Smith said the flames were within 20 feet of the road in places and the smoke was thick. “You couldn’t see anything. Even when it was light, it was black,” he said.

Television video showed a serpentine line of bright orange flames creeping up hillsides.

Fifteen to 20 houses were evacuated, said Erik Nilsson of Larimer County Emergency Management. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Eight people checked into an American Red Cross shelter at Berthoud High School. Residents, veterinarians and kennels offered to take in pets. A shelter for horses, cattle and other large animals was set up at the county fairgrounds in Loveland.

The fire’s cause had not been determined.

A second fire burned 250 acres of grass west of Wellington in Larimer County.