Wildfire raging in Colorado Springs area destroys 360 homes (Reuters) - A wildfire raging uncontrolled on the outskirts of Colorado's second-largest city has destroyed 360 homes near Colorado Springs, forced the evacuation of 38,000 people, and one person was reported missing, authorities said on Thursday. The Black Forest Fire and two other major blazes in the parched state have underscored concerns that persistent drought could intensify this year's fire season in the western United States. The so-called Black Forest Fire, named for the community northeast of the city where it began on Tuesday, has also partially damaged another 14 homes, Maketa said. The status of an additional 79 locations could not be verified, El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa told reporters. We did see a lot of losses especially with the winds. And if the winds kick up like they did yesterday, that's my greatest concern," Maketa said. Maketa said the fire had now destroyed more homes than last summer's Waldo Canyon Fire, which gutted nearly 350 homes on the western edge of Colorado Springs and was then considered the most destructive blaze in Colorado history. It also killed an elderly couple and forced the evacuation of some 35,000 people. So far, flames from the Black Forest Fire have not damaged properties within the city limits of Colorado Springs itself. One person was unaccounted for but there have been no reported injuries or fatalities in the blaze, which covers about 15,000 acres, Maketa said. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper on Wednesday signed executive orders declaring "disaster emergencies" that set aside more than $10 million for costs related to the Black Forest Fire and two other blazes in the state. About 50 miles to the southwest of Black Forest, the Royal Gorge Fire, which also broke out on Tuesday, has burned about 3,100 acres, according to tracking site InciWeb.org. The Big Meadows Fire north of Denver in Rocky Mountain National Park has charred 600 acres, the site said. Writing by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Sofina Mirza-Reid and Cynthia Johnston