DigitalGlobe trains satellite's electronic eyes on Colorado wildfire

In four short days Colorado has experienced a wildfire that has turned into the most destructive in the state’s history as it destroyed at least 169 homes. Civilian satellite operator and imagery provider DigitalGlobe has released stunning new imagery and analysis of the blaze.

The Fourmile Canyon Fire started Monday morning in the mountains northwest of Boulder, Colorado. By nightfall an eerie orange glow emanated from the hills over Denver as the blaze continued unabated.

• Related: Stunning video captures nighttime burning of Boulder, Colorado wildfire
• In pictures: View the DigitalGlobe satellite images below

The blaze has consumed 6,365 acres so far and destroyed 169 homes turning them to ashen rubble. For a time yesterday the weather cooled and worked in firefighters’ favor but today beings a new threat of high winds.

DigitalGlobe runs one of the largest civilian owned satellite constellations in the world, coincidentally operated from Longmont, Colorado not far from the Fourmile Canyon Fire. They often use their satellites to assess damage from disasters and provide the imagery to the public. In January 2009 they did so for another fire not far from the one this week – a blaze called the Olde Stage Road Fire.

This past week the company trained the eyes of their QuickBird satellite on the Fourmile Canyon Fire.

Using infrared imaging the satellites detail what areas burned with stunning clarity – right down to the street and house level. Smoke is seen in natural color images and one can clearly see the close proximity of the fire to the town of Gold Hill.

You can view the images from DigitalGlobe in the slideshow below. For more images from the company, you can visit their website here.

• Complete coverage of the Fourmile Canyon Fire - The Denver Weather Examiner