The fires, which began on Thursday morning from what officials believe may have been a downed power line, spread rapidly into the suburbs of Denver and Boulder as the day progressed. Regional droughts and high-speed wind that reached more than 100 miles per hour exacerbated the blazes.
Officials on Friday said that there are no reported deaths at this time, although an estimated 35,000 residents were displaced from their homes as they fled to safety.
"We might have our very own New Year's miracle on our hands if it holds up that there was no loss of life," Gov. Jared Polis said in a press conference.
Here's a closer look at the damaging fires that have engulfed the state.
The flames first began to spread Thursday morning, intensified by high-speed winds that reached upwards of 100 miles per hour.
Fire burns in bushes near a La Quinta hotel on December 30, 2021 in Louisville, Colorado.
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The intensity of the fire came suddenly and unexpectedly, officials said. "In the blink of an eye, many families having minutes, minutes to get whatever they could, their pets, their kids into the car and leave," Gov. Polis said on Friday.
Two homes burn during a wildfire in the Centennial Heights neighborhood on December 30, 2021 in Louisville, Colorado.
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By late afternoon, flames had started to engulf suburban neighborhoods, demolishing homes in communities around Denver and Boulder.
A house fully involved engulfed in flames on December 30, 2021 in Superior, Colorado.
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The fires also wreaked havoc on several local businesses and companies.
Fires burn near the Tesla dealership along McCaslin Blvd on December 30, 2021 in Superior, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
The towns of Superior and Louisville were fully evacuated as the wildfires picked up strength.
Flames engulf homes as the Marshall Fire spreads through a neighborhood in the town of Superior in Boulder County, Colorado on December 30, 2021.
JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Images
An estimated 35,000 residents total fled their homes on Thursday and Friday.
Fire burns in neighborhoods on December 30, 2021 in Superior, Colorado
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Authorities on Friday said the blaze was the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history.
A home burns after a fast moving wildfire swept through the area in the Centennial Heights neighborhood of Louisville, Colorado on December 30, 2021.
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Officials estimated that between 500 and 1,000 homes were destroyed as a result of the fires.
Fires burn near structures and homes in the historic downtown area on December 30, 2021 in Superior, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Gov. Polis said a period of drought in the region had likely contributed to the spread to residential areas. "It wasn't a wildfire in the forest, it was a suburban and urban fire," he said on Friday.
A Christmas wreath hangs on the side of a house where fire creeps towards the back on December 30, 2021 in Superior, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Sheriff Joe Pelle of Boulder County said on Friday that he estimated that the fire has burned 6,000 acres across the state.
An Arvada firefighter walks back to the firetruck as a fast moving wildfire swept through the area in the Centennial Heights neighborhood on December 30, 2021 of Louisville, Colorado.
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Though the cause has not yet been determined, officials said they believe the wildfires originated from a fallen power line.
An officer directs traffic out of neighborhoods on December 30, 2021 in Superior, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Officials said a significant amount of the fire has been contained, and they expect snowfall forecasted for the region to help snuff out remaining blazes.
Fires burn near structures and homes in the historic downtown area on December 30, 2021 in Superior, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Smoke from the fires left eerie yellow smoke hovering in the air of the Colorado suburbs affected.
A car makes its way down smoky, yellow skies along McCaslin Blvd on December 30, 2021 in Louisville, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Some residents even tried to put out small scale blazes with water bottles.
People try to put out fire along a median with water bottles in neighborhoods on December 30, 2021 in Superior, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
The fires continued into the evening on Thursday night and into Friday morning.
Dr. Bonnie Abbott (L) embraces her husband George as they watch flames engulf homes as the Marshall Fire spreads through a neighborhood in the town of Superior in Boulder County, Colorado on December 30, 2021. -
JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Images
An estimated 15,000 residents are currently without power across the state, according to outage trackers.
Marc Piscotty/Getty Images
In response to Colorado's request for federal support, the White House on Friday said that President Joe Biden would ensure "that every effort will be made to provide immediate help to people in the impacted communities."
Embers fly through the air as fires continue to burn into the evening in neighborhoods on December 30, 2021 in Louisville, Colorado.
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
"The President is grateful to all of the first responders who have come to the aid of Colorado communities and families impacted by the fires," The White House continued in its statement.
Flames engulf homes as the Marshall Fire spreads through a neighborhood in the town of Superior in Boulder County, Colorado on December 30, 2021.
“Jidoka” is a new one to me. TRI (Toyota Research Institute) CEO Gill Pratt described the concept as “Automation with a Human Touch.” The anglicized version of the notion is “Autonomation” — both are modified forms of “ automation,” in their respective languages. The word was originally applied to Toyota’s Production System, highlighting the need for human participation in the process. Quoting from Toyota here: Employing Jidoka principles throughout the production process is a vital element of the Toyota Production System, forcing imperfections to be immediately addressed by self-inspecting workers and thereby reducing the amount of work added to a defective product. Some automated machines can also function in the detection process, allowing human operatives to only be engaged when alerted to a problem. It’s a nice sentiment — a kind of harmony between robots and humans that ultimately plays to their respective strengths. There is, of course, a very real question of how fundamen...
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