Colorado sees its largest ever wildfire as cold blasts Midwest and Northeast

October 17, 2020October 17, 2020 WKXA

ABC NewsBY: REED MCDONOUGH, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) — The Cameron Peak Fire is now the largest wildfire in Colorado’s history. It has burned more than 173,000 acres and more than 1,300 personnel are battling the blaze.

While the fire is 57% contained, mandatory evacuations are still in place near highway 34 in Larimer County, according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.

Several alerts remain in place Saturday morning across northern Colorado as the fire danger continues.

Dense smoke plumes from the fires currently burning are expected to increase through Saturday, with the smoke spreading east into northeastern Colorado, crossing over into southwestern Nebraska and northwestern Kansas by Saturday night.

While the record-breaking fires continue to burn in California and Colorado, there are fire dangers in other parts of the U.S. this weekend.

Red flag warnings are posted Saturday morning across 10 states, from Indiana to California.

Gusty winds coupled with very low relative humidity are forecasted across these areas through Saturday, exacerbating the fire weather to “elevated” and even “critical” risk in some areas.

In a rare event, the fire risk in the Midwest comes at the same time there are cold weather alerts.

Frost advisories and freeze warnings are posted just to the east from northern Alabama to parts of New England.

Wind gusts could top 40 mph Saturday afternoon in parts of the Midwest.

Meanwhile, folks across the Ohio River Valley and parts of the Northeast are waking up to wind chill values in the 30s for the first time this season.

A cold front drops into the Midwest and northern Plains Saturday, bringing the threat of snowfall.

Winter weather advisories are posted from Montana to northern Minnesota this weekend.

Four to 6 inches of snow is expected through Sunday morning in parts of Wyoming and Montana.