One Dead in Raging Colorado Wildfire
BALDWIN: An out of control wildfire is now racing through the mountains of Colorado. You see the pictures. You can see the flames are as high as 20 feet in some places. Look at this. Fueled by dry trees and brush and gas. This huge plume of smoke is rising from the fire. Thousands of people have been evacuated. Some had to just simply watch as their homes were engulfed in these flames.</s>UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Why is it taking so quick?</s>KYLE ELLIS, LOST HOME IN FIRE: Fire burns hot. It's real fast, real dry. Hopefully, they save those houses. What happened to our house?</s>UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Burned down.</s>ELLIS: Yes, it did.</s>BALDWIN: My goodness, how do you explain that to little ones? As many as a hundred structures or buildings have been lost or damaged. In the ashes of one home, firefighters found the body of a 62-year-old woman, the first victim of this fire. CNN I-Reporters, we are so grateful for you. You're sending us these remarkable pictures here from the fire. In fact, joining me by phone from Leveland, Colorado is our I-Reporter Lonny Garris. Lonny, I, you know, clicking through your photos and the only way I could seem to describe it, it looks like this wall of smoke and fire. Is that appropriate? Tell me what you see today.</s>LONNY GARRIS, CNN I-REPORTER (via telephone): Definitely. It was a big wall of smoke. You could see the flames up on the hill and 40- mile-per-hour wind winds. It was terrifying and (inaudible) to be up there.</s>BALDWIN: Terrifying, what does it smell like? What does it taste like to be that close?</s>GARRIS: Well, right now, you know, we're covered in haze. I can't even see our mountains right now. I woke up this morning with a raspy voice due to the smoke. It really just smells like a big old camp ground throughout the whole city area.</s>BALDWIN: Where exactly is your home, I guess, in conjunction to where this line of fire is? Is your home OK? Are you worried about it?</s>GARRIS: No, my home is safe right now. I'm down in Loveland about 20 miles south of the fire. Those photos were across from the fire. I had my wife drag me around and take photos, but they're safer.</s>BALDWIN: Don't do that to your wife. How many years have you lived in this area?</s>GARRIS: I've been in the area about 15 years now.</s>BALDWIN: In these 15 years, I know Colorado knows their fair share of wildfires, have you seen anything this grand?</s>GARRIS: No, nothing like this. This is our third fire this year. We've had our share of smoke, but nothing as dramatic or as close to where we usually go and hang out. It's quite scary.</s>BALDWIN: I know you mentioned your wife. You have a dog inside. I also read you're a nurse. You're an R.N. Have you had to use your skills here?</s>GARRIS: The fire happened on my days off. I'll be going in today and see what's going on and hopefully catch up with my peers at work and see what's they've been experiencing.</s>BALDWIN: They're lucky to have you. Best of luck to you. Thinking about you and everyone here in Colorado, those affected and those precariously close. Lonny, appreciate it.</s>GARRIS: All right.</s>BALDWIN: New twists in the man hunt for that Auburn shooter. Why police thought they were close to capturing the gunman.