HispanicBusiness

Fanned by strong winds and high temperatures a wildfire in burst out of control late Tuesday, threatening the town of Colorado Springs where 32,000 people were forced to evacuate, the Denver Post reported.

The report said that numerous houses were engulfed in flames Tuesday night as the fire spread over heavily wooded areas despite the efforts of more than 700 firefighters and numerous aircraft dropping bright orange flame retardant.

Witnesses on Twitter described local highways clogged with fleeing refugees and describing the scene as "an apocalypse" and "terrifying," posting photos of the city wrapped in a sinister orange and black cloud.

According to officials at the National Interagency Fire Center the so-called Waldo Canyon blaze covered more than 25,000 hectares and was just 5 per cent contained.

Colorado has been hard hit by wildfires in recent days as it is also battling the worst wildfire in a decade, the High Park fire, which has burnt some 336 square kilometers and is 55 per cent contained.