Body found in Colorado Springs wildfire

A body was found in a Colorado Springs home destroyed in a major wildfire that President Barack Obama was to visit Friday. The unidentified person was one of two people who lived in the fire-ravaged home, city Police Chief Peter Carey said late Thursday. The second person was accounted for, he said. Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach earlier announced the Waldo Canyon fire destroyed 346 homes on 35 streets, making it the most destructive fire in Colorado history. A number of evacuees began returning to their homes after 8 p.m. MDT (10 p.m. EDT) Thursday, officials said. U.S. Air Force Academy officials said evacuated residents of its two housing areas would be allowed to return home beginning at 5 a.m. Friday. Normal operations were to resume at most of the academy Friday, officials said. Before the announcements, an estimated 32,500 people were evacuated in and around Colorado Springs. Officials said Thursday night the fast-moving fire had blackened 16,750 acres, or slightly more than 26 square miles. It was 15 percent contained, up from 5 percent the day before, they said. Obama was to view the damage Friday and thank firefighters and other responders battling the blaze, the White House said. He was to arrive at Colorado Springs Municipal Airport around 11:55 a.m. and stay until 2:45 p.m., the White House said. In talking with Bach and Colorado Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper by phone Wednesday, Obama said his administration's focus was on "continuing to bring all resources to bear to assist local responders in Colorado and a number of Western states currently being impacted by fires," the White House said in summarizing the call. The fire, which started Saturday, is one of eight major fires burning across Colorado, prompted by unusually hot, dry conditions and winds as high as 65 mph. The Waldo Canyon fire's cause is not known, and the FBI has joined the investigation. Other states with major wildfires are Alaska, Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.