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AP PHOTOS: Wildfires rage in the West
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Smoke rises from the ruins of a home while other homes in the development still stand after a wildfire rolled through housing subdivisions in the mountains north and west of Colorado Springs, Colo., on Wednesday, June 27, 2012. The fire has forced the evacuation of more than 32,000 residents of the communities west of and now in Colorado Springs proper. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
AP
A slurry bomber drops fire retardant on the Waldo Canyon Fire Wednesday, June 27, 2012, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The wildfire doubled in size overnight to about 24 square miles (62 square kilometers), and has so far forced mandatory evacuations for more than 32,000 residents. (AP Photo/Bryan Oller)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The sun sets on the front range where the Waldo Canyon Fire continues to burn Wednesday, June 27, 2012, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The wildfire doubled in size overnight to about 24 square miles (62 square kilometers), and has so far forced mandatory evacuations for more than 32,000 residents. (AP Photo/Bryan Oller)
AP
A truck drives down state road 31 as smoke rises from a wildfire burning in the Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. At least five wildfires burned across Utah on Wednesday, taxing resources as firefighters worked feverishly to gain control, with one in the central part of the state continuing to burn with little containment after destroying at least 56 structures, authorities said. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Paul Fraughton)
AP
The sun is obscured by smoke from a wildfire burning in the Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. At least five wildfires burned across Utah on Wednesday, taxing resources as firefighters worked feverishly to gain control, with one in the central part of the state continuing to burn with little containment after destroying at least 56 structures, authorities said. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Paul Fraughton)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This aerial photo shows the destructive path of the Waldo Canyon fire in the Mountain Shadows subdivision area of Colorado Springs, Colo., Thursday, June 28, 2012. Colorado Springs officials said Thursday that hundreds of homes have been destroyed by the raging wildfire. (AP Photo/Denver Post, RJ Sangosti)
AP
This aerial photo shows the destructive path of the Waldo Canyon fire in the Mountain Shadows subdivision area of Colorado Springs, Colo., Thursday, June 28, 2012. Colorado Springs officials said Thursday that hundreds of homes have been destroyed by the raging wildfire. (AP Photo/Denver Post, RJ Sangosti)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This aerial photo shows the destructive path of the Waldo Canyon fire in the Mountain Shadows subdivision area of Colorado Springs, Colo., Thursday, June 28, 2012. Colorado Springs officials said Thursday that hundreds of homes have been destroyed by the raging wildfire. (AP Photo/Denver Post, RJ Sangosti)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This image provided by NASA taken by an Expedition 31 crew member Wednesday June 27, 2012 aboard the International Space Station, flying approximately 240 miles above Earth, recorded a series of images of the current wild fires in the southwestern United States. These particular fires, of unknown cause, are burning at the south end of the Wyoming Range in southwestern Wyoming, and have affected 17,000 acres. The fires have produced two major smoke plumes (center) that dominate the image. The fires are occurring 120 miles due south of Yellowstone Lake which appears as an irregular blue shape (upper right --if the image is oriented with north toward the top right corner). Utah's Great Salt Lake (image far left) is about 120 miles away. Winds transport the smoke in a northeasterly direction: the plumes can be seen to cross the Wind River Range (center), blowing directly toward the Big Horn Mts., which appear as a dark, curved feature (lower right). This 180mm image spans a wide area from northern Utah (left) to northeastern Montana (right). (AP Photo/NASA)
Photo
Posted 6/30/12
From above, the destruction wrought by a raging Colorado wildfire becomes painfully clear: Rows and rows of homes — hundreds in all — reduced to smoldering ashes. Amid the devastation, there are hopeful signs: More than 120 soldiers using heavy equipment helped stop flames from advancing on the U.S. Air Force Academy and cooler weather could help slow the fire's spread.
The cause of the blaze remains unknown and local authorities said Thursday that conditions are too dangerous for any such investigation to begin.
The wildfire was one of many burning across the parched West, blazes that have destroyed structures and prompted evacuations in Montana and Utah and forced the closure of a portion of Zion National Park.
President Barack Obama is to tour fire-stricken areas today after issuing a disaster declaration for Colorado, releasing federal funds to help.
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Here is a gallery of photos from the wildfires.