Colorado Wildfire 5% Contained: Blaze Took 2 Lives, Destroyed 379 Homes

Colorado's Black Forest fire has claimed two lives and destroyed 379 homes, according to the latest reports from the ground after a morning press conference that took place as the wildfire entered its fourth day of burning in and around the city of Colorado Springs.

The fast-moving wildfire broke out Tuesday and has proved difficult to keep under control, but gained little if any ground overnight Thursday. It has scorched between 13,000 and 15,000 acres, though firefighters working through the night helped keep the blaze from spreading further, the latest reports indicate the fire is only 5 percent contained, up from zero percent containment earlier in the week.

The two deceased were found in a garage of a burnt home, apparently in the midst of attempting to flee from the blaze. The couple reportedly died during the first hours after the fire ignited Tuesday.

"The car doors were open as if they were loading or grabbing last-minute things," El Paso County Sheriff Terry Mateka said, according to an Associated Press report.

Still, Friday's news indicated progress as workers continued fight the fire.

"We gained some tremendous ground," Maketa said of activity overnight by firefighters who, the local Colorado Springs paper The Gazette said, were working to stomp out hot spots and protect homes and other structures within the fire zone. "What I witnessed was very encouraging compared to the previous nights."

Some success in keeping the fire from burning more land is ensured by plains of grass adjacent to the pine forests where the fire burns.

"We did not lose large chunks of land last night," Maketa said. "I felt that was pretty encouraging."

Incident commander Rich Harvey echoed Maketa's thoughts.

"Everywhere it's grass, we are winning," Harvey said, adding that the firefighters were "busier than you-know-what last night."

Confirmation of two deaths, plus the number of homes destroyed and acres burned make the Black Forest fire the most destructive fire in Colorado state history, surpassing the Waldo Canyon fire of 2012, that blaze burned 347 homes and killed two people.

Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate a 55 square mile area, affecting 41,000 residents and 14,000 homes, the Gazette reported.

A crew of 800 firefighters is battling the blaze, including troops from the Air Force and the National Guard.