Colorado Fire Continues Destruction As 181 Homes Gutted

6/17/2012 12:58 AM ET

The Colorado fire has taken its toll, having already destroyed more than 181 homes. The week-old fire in the 85-square-mile High Park now is considered as the most devastating wildfire in state history.

The High Park fire began with a lightning strike at about 6 a.m. on June 9. Media reports state that more than 3,000 evacuations have been ordered, with about a third of those having been lifted.

The fire, racing through large swaths of private and U.S. Forest Service land, is believed to have caused the death of only a 62-year-old grandmother whose body was found in her burnt cabin.

The High Park Fire burning 15 miles west of Fort Collins surpasses the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which destroyed 169 homes west of Boulder in September 2010.

Fire officials said more than 1,600 fire personnel from around the country are battling the fire, with costs running more than $1 million per day to contain the fire and increasing with each day. The blaze was 20 percent contained, with full containment said to be two to four weeks away.

According to the Larimer County Assessor's Office, the property within the burn zone, destroyed and still standing, have an estimated value of $160 million, and the structures have an estimated value of $87.5 million.

by RTT Staff Writer

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