A blanket of snow is now covering the area where nearly 1,000 homes were destroyed.

From National Public Radio (NPR_

As overnight snow finally extinguished the most destructive wildfires in Colorado history, authorities in Boulder County now say three people are missing.

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said authorities are planning to bring cadaver dogs, as those missing are likely to be dead.

“The structures where these folks would be are completely destroyed and covered with about 8 inches of snow right now,” Pelle told reporters on Saturday afternoon.

Thursday’s Marshall fire tore through the towns of Superior and Louisville, two municipalities in the stretch of suburbs that reach from Denver to Boulder, forcing the evacuation of more than 30,000 people and leaving piles of ash and rubble where hundreds of homes once stood.

Officials had earlier estimated that at least 500 homes were destroyed, but on Saturday, Pelle said the latest count was 991 destroyed — including 553 in Louisville and 332 in Superior. Another 127 homes were damaged, the sheriff said.

Related news stories:
After Catastrophic Fire, CO Fights New Hazard: 10 Inches of Snow (NYT)
Colorado Wildfires: What We Know (New York Times)

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