One person was killed in a fire and more than 900 homes were evacuated in Denver on Monday when a four-and-half-square mile wildfire blazed through Colorado.

Colorado authorities confirmed the death of an unnamed victim in Jefferson County, 25 miles southwest from Denver Monday night.

The wildfire began as a result from a controlled burn last week to thin out vegetation, spread rapidly due to dry, windy temperatures, according to Jefferson County Sheriff's spokeswoman Jacki Kelly. Winds were clocked at 70 miles per hour as the fire's size multiplied by 100 times within a few hours.

Authorities said more than 100 firefighters were on the ground to put out the fire and plan to drop fire retardant on the wildfire today via air tankers.

We've asked for air support and we're hoping, crossing our fingers, that we get that tomorrow, Kelly told ABC News on Monday. We asked for it today and they simply couldn't fly because it's too dangerous.

Smoke extended to 25 miles away to Denver, according to the National Weather Service, and extended as far as 100 miles northeast of Jefferson County. In Denver, a sheriff's deputy drove a patrol car into a ditch because of the thick clouds of smoke. No injuries were reported in Denver resulting from the accident.

More than 900 homes were evacuated amidst the wildfire, and five homes were reported to be destroyed as of Tuesday morning.

According to ABC News, officials in Jefferson County sought help from fire fighters as far away as Arizona.

Authorities alerted residents to be prepared for evacuation if the wildfire spreads. Those evacuated were moved to shelters in two area high schools in Conifer and in the southwest Denver suburb of Littleton while the American Red Cross extended its resources.

Health officials in Colorado said smoke will linger and affect the air quality until at least Tuesday afternoon. As many as a dozen small fires were reported in the northeast Colorado plains on Monday.

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