Authorities initially estimated that between 40 and 60 houses were destroyed, but they are still surveying the damage. El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said Wednesday he believes around 80 have been lost and he wouldn't be surprised if the figure reaches or tops 100.
Maketa says there are no reports of anyone missing in the fire. However, he says some people stayed behind and he fears some may have died.
Around 7,000 people over 47 square miles have been evacuated by the Black Forest Fire, which started Tuesday.
The fire forced the evacuation of more than 900 prisoners at a state prison southwest of Colorado Springs early Wednesday.
Department of Corrections spokeswoman Adrienne Jacobson said prisoners from the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility were taken to other prisons overnight. The evacuation was ordered because of the danger from heavy smoke, she said. The fire has not reached the prison.
"This was done as a precaution because it takes a lot of time to move the prisoners," Jacobson said.
The medium- and low-risk prisoners were evacuated by bus, including 24 from an infirmary who were taken to a Denver facility, some in wheelchairs.
That fire was burning on about 6 square miles near Royal Gorge Bridge Park. It has destroyed three structures near Canon City, but the soaring suspension bridge spanning the canyon across the Arkansas River is believed to have been spared.
The area is not far from last summer's devastating Waldo Canyon Fire that destroyed 346 homes and killed two.
"It's very, very reminiscent of what we experienced in Waldo Canyon," Maketa said.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/6/262477