Amid the wildfire destruction in Colorado, which includes a ruined Tesla building, the state governor found some silver lining
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has reported there has been no known loss of life from the devastating wildfires that have claimed over 500 homes.
“We may have our own New Year’s miracle on our hands if it holds up that there was no loss of life,” Polis said at a press conference on Friday.
No deaths would be “quite the testimony to preparedness and emergency response,” he added, as residents only had minutes to evacuate as the blazes spread rapidly due to high winds.
Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said earlier the fires had eliminated at least 500 homes and destroyed entire subdivisions. The burn area includes approximately 2,000 homes, up to half of which may have been heavily impacted by the fires, authorities said.
Pelle also referred to no deaths as “miraculous” on Friday, and he said authorities do not have the long list of missing persons typical for such incidents, saying only one person was reported missing and they have since been accounted for.
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Numerous injuries have been reported, however, including from first responders, and the sheriff said to expect more.