The Colorado Wildfires

Handout photo of a plume of smoke from the High Park Fire, about 20 miles northwest of Fort Collins. NASA/REUTERS

Smoke and flames encroach upon homes and ranches on the eastern front of the High Park fire near Laporte. MARC PISCOTTY/REUTERS

Smoke and flames encroach upon homes on the eastern front of the High Park fire near Laporte, Colorado. MARC PISCOTTY/REUTERS

The sky turns a brilliant orange as smoke from the High Park Fire fills the sky near Laporte, Colorado. MARC PISCOTTY/REUTERS

Smoke fills the air over a small barn turning the sky orange as the High Park Fire burns near Laporte, Colorado. MARC PISCOTTY/REUTERS

A firefighter’s boot sits on a table for donations to the Red Cross outside the Double S Bar in Laporte, Colorado. MARC PISCOTTY/REUTERS

A helicopter tanker drops water near a home in Colorado’s High Park Fire, about 15 miles northwest of Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Smoke and clouds linger over High Park Fire burn area near Ted’s Place. MARC PISCOTTY/REUTERS

Customers walk into Vern’s convenience store as the window thanks firefighters for their efforts on the High Park Fire near Laporte. MARC PISCOTTY/REUTERS

A resident watches the High Park fire only a few miles from her home in Glacier View Meadows, northwest of Fort Collins, Colorado. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

A message is painted on a truck near where the High Park fire has burned out, west of Fort Collins, in Colorado. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

A truck drives down the highway under the smoke plume from the High Park fire at sunset, west of Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Smoke from the High Park fire rolls across the mountains at sunset, west of Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Water tanker helicopter drops on the High Park fire west of Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Heavy air tanker drops fire retardant on High Park fire west of Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Fire rages through the forest in the High Park fire west of Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Local resident Paskett watches the High Park fire burn near her home, west of Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Local resident Crawford watches High Park fire burn near his home, west of Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Fire rages through forest in the High Park fire west of Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

The stairs of a home destroyed in the High Park fire is seen near Fort Collins. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Handout photo of a heavy air tanker dropping fire retardant on the High Park fire west of Fort Collins. HANDOUT/REUTERS

Handout photo of a heavy air tanker dropping fire retardant on the High Park fire west of Fort Collins. HANDOUT/REUTERS

The downtown skyline of Denver, Colorado is obscured by smoke from the many wildfires burning in the state. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Flames explode next to a house in a mountain subdivision, west of Colorado Springs. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

The setting sun is obscured by smoke from the Waldo Canyon fire west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

The sun illuminates through the smoke from the Waldo Canyon Fire, west of Colorado Springs. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Handout photo of an Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules expeling water over Peterson Air Force Base. HANDOUT/REUTERS

Trees burn in the Waldo Canyon fire west of Colorado Springs. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Smoke from the Waldo Canyon fire engulfs highway in Colorado. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Smoke from the Waldo Canyon fire engulfs a highway in Colorado. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Smoke from the Waldo Canyon fire hovers over the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

Smoke from the Waldo Canyon fire hovers over the I-25 north of Colorado Springs in Colorado. RICK WILKING/REUTERS

A firefighting helicopter approaches the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado. RICK WILKING/REUTERS