Gusty winds helped spark numerous wildfires Thursday in Colorado, including one that quickly became one of the most destructive in state history.

The Marshall Fire destroyed hundreds of homes and at least 9 square miles of land as it forced the towns of Louisville and Superior to evacuate. Additional evacuations were later ordered in the town of Broomfield; All three towns are located northwest of Denver and southeast of Boulder.

(MORE: Up to 1,000 Homes Burned in Boulder-Area Wildfire; Officials Say It's 'Miraculous' No One Was Killed)

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In total, the evacuations affected tens of thousands of people.

By Friday morning, neighborhoods were in smoldering ruin and officials said well over 500, and possibly as many as 1,000, homes were burned.

Click through the slideshow above to see the devastation.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.