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DENVER - Authorities say a wind-driven wildfire in the rugged Colorado foothills has spread across 5 1/2 square miles, destroyed an unknown number of homes and triggered evacuations of 1,000 others.

No injuries have been reported.

Laura McConnell, a spokeswoman for the fire management team, couldn't say how many structures have burned down, but she says at least some of them were houses.

McConnell says the homes of four firefighters were among those destroyed.

The fire started Monday in Four Mile Canyon northwest of Boulder, and erratic winds gusting to 45 mph spread the flames both to the west and northeast.

About 100 firefighters and three aerial tankers are on the scene.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)