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(Colo.)-Large Wildfire Burns 14,000 Acres, Damages 18 Structures

By: Roxie Graham-Marski Posted at: 06/10/2012 07:02 PM

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - More residents are being asked to

evacuate from near a fast-moving wildfire in northern Colorado that

has grown to 14,000 acres, or about 22 miles, in one day.

Authorities issued 183 more evacuation notices on Sunday in

addition to about 1,600 issued earlier.

The fire, which has damaged or destroyed 18 structures thus far,

is sending up heavy smoke and creating an eerie, orange dusk in

the middle of the day. Some ash fell as authorities issued a briefing

on the fire.

Authorities say Mother Nature is running the fire, which has

been erratic and spreading in multiple directions.

It was first reported early Saturday morning in the

Paradise Park area, a mountainous area about 15 miles west of

Fort Collins.

It's not clear how many houses have been evacuated but the Red

Cross said about 500 people have registered with shelters.

Eighteen structures have been damaged or destroyed.

Sheriff Justin Smith told evacuees that one person is

unaccounted for in the fire area but said he couldn't provide any

details.

It remains unclear if the burned structures were homes or

other kind of buildings.

The cause of the fire isn't known but authorities planned to

visit the area where the fire started.

Volunteers at a wolf sanctuary near the fire have removed 11

of the animals and hope the remaining 19 will take shelter in a

series of underground concrete bunkers known as “fire dens” if

the blaze passes through.

WOLF sanctuary spokeswoman Michelle Proulx said the wolves

were taken to kennels in LarimerCounty, and depending on the

conditions Sunday, volunteers might go back and retrieve the

remaining animals.