US President Barack Obama has issued a disaster declaration for Colorado, where wildfires have forced tens of thousands from their homes.

The move paves the way for access to federal funds to combat the blaze, and comes just hours before Mr Obama is due to visit the state.

Police said a body had been found in a burned-out home in Colorado Springs.

The Waldo Canyon fire has destroyed 346 houses, making it the most destructive in the state's history.

Another blaze in northern Colorado - the High Park fire - has killed one person and has destroyed 257 homes, officials have said.

Officials say progress has been aided by improved weather conditions, but the forest service has warned that it could still take weeks to get the wildfires under control.