Visitors and staff at two national parks in the U.S. West have been evacuated because of wildfires. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, about 260 miles (418 kilometers) southwest of Denver, closed Thursday morning after lighting sparked blazes on both rims,

A mix of high temperatures, gusty winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation has fuelled the fire's swift advance in Arizona, officials say.

A wildfire in the northern part of Colorado's Chaffee County destroyed two homes on Thursday and it is threatening dozens of others.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office first reported the blaze at around 1:50 p.m. as an active structure fire and wildfire in the area of the Mountain View Estates, in the Morrison Creek area.

A wildfire prompted evacuations in the area of Mountain View Estates in Buena Vista Thursday and destroyed two homes. The Mountain View Fire has burned about 60 acres, according to the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office.