Officials in Colorado Springs said Thursday that hundreds of homes have been destroyed by a raging wildfire that has approached the state's second-biggest city and threatened the U.S. Air Force Academy. Mayor Steve Bach said a more accurate account of the damage would be available later in the day. So far, the wildfire has burned out of control for much of the week and forced more than 30,000 evacuees to flee their homes. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and local authorities said Thursday that conditions are too dangerous for an investigation to start. El Paso County sheriff Lieutenant Jeff Kramer said U.S. Forest Service agents are waiting for firefighting commanders to notify them when it is safe to enter the burned area. The Colorado wildfire was one of several burning across the dry western United States. Fires have destroyed buildings and prompted evacuations in Montana and Utah.
