COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- President Obama is surveying damage from raging wildfires in Colorado, getting a sense of the devastation as he arrives aboard Air Force One.
Obama viewed the scene from above as his airplane made its descent into Colorado. Plumes of smoke from the mountains were visible as Obama arrived.
Obama declared a "major disaster" in the state early Friday and promised federal aid. He is expected to get a firsthand look at the devastation, which has led to the evacuation of more than 30,000 people in what is now the most destructive wildfire in state history.
Colorado is one of the nation's top swing states and expected to be heavily contested by Obama and Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney this year.