Colorado Wildfire Turns Deadly

A wildfire near Fort Collins, Colorado, has killed one woman and destroyed at least 118 buildings. As of Tuesday morning, the massive fire had burned more than 43,000 acres. Only 5 percent of the blaze is contained.

The fire started Saturday with a lightning strike and has grown to become the third-largest in Colorado history. Seventy percent of the burn area is private land; 30 percent of it is national forest land.

The Colorado fire is one of 18 large wildfires presently burning in nine states.

In New Mexico, one fast-moving wildfire has charred tens of thousands of acres and damaged 35 structures. Elsewhere in New Mexico, firefighters are battling the largest wildfire in state history. It has destroyed 435 square miles of forest since it was ignited by lightning in mid-May. On Monday, firefighters had the blaze 37-percent contained.

The frequency and intensity of wildfires and other disasters will increase in the months and years ahead. To understand why the nation is experiencing weather catastrophes, read Why Natural Disasters?