A series of wildfires burning along the Front Range foothills killed one person, damaged or destroyed at least 30 buildings, caused the governor to activate the Colorado National Guard and cloaked the sweltering Denver metro in a heavy cloud of smoke. Related Articles Colorado News | Colorado wildfire updates: Quarry fire is being investigated as arson, Alexander Mountain grows to more than 9,000 acres Colorado News | Colorado wildfires burn 30 buildings as state ramps up investigation into origins Colorado News | Colorado wildfire updates: Alexander Mountain fire 5% contained, Stone Canyon fire death confirmed Colorado News | As wildfires sweep through the Front Range, residents ponder whether to stay or go Colorado News | Four wildfires in three days along Colorado’s Front Range span more than 9,500 acres, force thousands to evacuate Four fires, all sparked along the Front Range since Monday have burned across more than 10,000 acres as of Thursday evening and prompted the evacuation of thousands of people. Fire crews in Boulder County extinguished the small, multi-acre Lake Shore fire on Thursday, but another wildfire sparked in western Colorado — near Nucla — just hours later. All four major fires currently burning — the Quarry fire in Jefferson County, the Alexander Mountain fire in Larimer County, the Stone Canyon fire in Boulder and Larimer counties and the Bucktail fire in Montrose County — began this week and grew rapidly, fueled by hot, dry weather and arid conditions on the ground. Wranglers from Sylvan Dale Ranch round up some of their 80+ horses to put them on trailers to take them to safety away from the Alexander Mountain fire burning west of Loveland on Monday, July 29, 2024.