One found, two still missing after Colorado fire

The number of people missing after a wildfire roared through two Colorado towns dropped on Sunday from three to two, as authorities announced one person has been located.

"One of those persons has been accounted for alive and well. So, that gentleman is no longer missing. We are still missing a woman from the town of Superior and a man from out by Marshall."

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said the two missing people lived in homes that were consumed by the blaze.

The rare urban wildfire erupted Thursday morning on the northern outskirts of the Denver area.

Wind gusts topping 100-miles per hour pushed flames eastward into the towns of Superior and Louisville, prompting evacuations.

In just two hours, the fire had scorched 6,000 acres, officials said, destroying nearly 1,000 homes.

On Sunday, sheriff's deputies were using cadaver dogs, going house-to-house to search for possible victims, while volunteers helped search for missing pets.

"The scenes are still hot, they're still deep in debris, hot debris, covered with snow. It's a very difficult task."

Despite initial reports that downed power lines started the blaze, Pelle said detectives are still investigating the cause of the fire.

U.S. President Joe Biden has declared the scene a national disaster, freeing up federal funds to assist with recovery.