Boulder fire damage seen from space

As I write this, storm clouds are gathering in the west. That's a pretty common situation here in Boulder, Colorado, in the summer. We get fine, clear mornings, and sometimes rain in the afternoon. In general big storms aren't exactly rare, but this summer we've been getting pounded. On my bike rides it's been routine to see the creeks in the area swollen to the point of overflowing. But this summer, that situation has turned more dangerous. We've been getting some serious flood scares, and the reason may not be obvious to people who don't live in the area: fires.