homes. tens of thousands of people were evacuated as the fires tore through suburban areas of boulder county on thursday. gary 0'donoghue has this report. winds of more than 100 mph drove the flames across more than 1600 acres of suburban colorado, which would normally have snow on the ground at this time of year. the fires spread quickly through homes and businesses, leading to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. the emergency services did their best, but the sheer speed of the fire took everyone by surprise. coming down this road, the ditches and things and the trees, they're all up in flames. like, there's embers everywhere. packed myself, my cat and... just keep our fingers crossed. local officials declared a state of emergency, unlocking federal funds to help fight the blaze, and the governor spoke to president biden. this was a disaster in fast motion, all over the course of half a day, nearly all the damage, many families having minutes, minutes to get whatever they could — their pets, their kids — into the car and leave. the last 2a hours have been devastating. remarkably, no—one died in the fires, and as dawn broke on friday, winds had significantly dropped and a forecast of snow should reduce the chances of any flare—ups — leaving the thousands of families to count the cost of the handful of hours that have devastated their lives. gary 0'donoghue, bbc news. let's speak to joe wertz, he's the climate and environment editor for colorado public radio. a big change in the weather. a thing is going to get better now than, say, 2a hours ago? yes, definitely. it is snowing right now. we have a lot of winter storms that have moved through, particularly in the area the fire was out. that is definitely helping crews on the ground. it has teamed down the wins as well as added some moisture, that has been a big help. moisture, that has been a big hel. , ., , , , moisture, that has been a big hel. , ., _ , ., help. obviously very important now, but help. obviously very important now. but the — help. obviously very important now, but the snow _ help. obviously very important now, but the snow probably i help. obviously very important| now, but the snow probably too late for many people. hunters of people have lost homes are. absolutely. look, colorado is in a multi—year decade—long drought. the conditions are really, really dry here and the moisture helps, but it's amazing how quickly the moisture will leave and things will dry out again.— will dry out again. fires are not uncommon _ will dry out again. fires are not uncommon in _ will dry out again. fires are | not uncommon in december will dry out again. fires are i not uncommon in december in colorado, of course, but does this at the hallmarks of climate change, would you say? yes, the fingerprints of climate change i really all over this fire. scientists are all pretty clear. they are getting more intense and more frequent in colorado and a lot of western states. the fire season itself is getting a lot longer. the peak of the fire season in colorado used to be mid to late summer. you know, two of the _ mid to late summer. you know, two of the largest _ mid to late summer. you know, two of the largest buyers - two of the largest buyers colorado has ever seen happened last year in october, now we're seeing decemberfires last year in october, now we're seeing december fires fires. the fire season in colorado is now 78 days longer than it was in the 1970s, so the fire season here is almost a year—round affair. season here is almost a year-round affair.- season here is almost a year-round affair. from a local perspective. — year-round affair. from a local perspective, are _ year-round affair. from a local perspective, are there - year-round affair. from a local perspective, are there any - perspective, are there any lessons that can be lowered or things that can change going forward all is this, with climate change, just one of those things that will increasingly happen in the future? it increasingly happen in the future? ,. . , increasingly happen in the future? , . ., , ., future? it is certainly on the minds of — future? it is certainly on the minds of everyone - future? it is certainly on the minds of everyone here. - future? it is certainly on the minds of everyone here. a l future? it is certainly on the i minds of everyone here. a lot of people are talking about that. evacuation centre go pretty well. people seemed to get out of their homes in time in the most part, as far as we know now, so that seems to be a success story, getting out and having some plan to evacuate. and, certainly, we have talked to researchers already you are saying we need to take a harder look at, you know, there's living in these areas under these wildfires. this happened in a very populated suburban area, not in a forested region that you might associate with wildfires. so heavily populated. somewhere tens of thousands of people live. so a lot of people now about reassessing how people build and live in these areas and talking about what we can do to keep ignition sources away, human —related ignition sources, powerlines, other things might spark fires. yes, ho efull things might spark fires. yes, hopefully with _ things might spark fires. yes, hopefully with that _ things might spark fires. yes, hopefully with that snow - things might spark fires. yes, hopefully with that snow the i hopefully with that snow the worst is over and people can return to their homes. it has obviously been a traumatic experience for many. joe wertz there live in denver, thank you for bringing us up—to—date on that. for bringing us up-to-date on that. . ~ , ., in south africa, thousands of people waited in line to pay their final respects to the late archbishop desmond tutu, whose body was lying in state for a second day ahead of the state funeral later on saturday. the archbishop, who played a leading role in the battle against racial segregation and the apartheid regime, died on sunday at the age of 90. 0ur south africa correspondent nomsa maseko reports from cape town. the clergy, anglican church wardens, and then marching bad landing the —— lining the streets. the outspoken priest, who became one of the world's great moral voices, lying in state for a second day in a plain pinewood coffin in with his wishes. thousands of people have been flocking to st george's cathedral to pay their last respects. 0ne george's cathedral to pay their last respects. one man hit sites for more than 1000 kilometres just sites for more than 1000 kilometresjust for this moment. kilometres 'ust for this moment._ kilometres 'ust for this moment. �*, ., ., moment. it's a memory that i would live — moment. it's a memory that i would live for _ moment. it's a memory that i would live for the _ moment. it's a memory that i would live for the rest - moment. it's a memory that i would live for the rest of - moment. it's a memory that i would live for the rest of my i would live for the rest of my life. and theyjust hope, as he said, in his words, he said," south africa, you must be careful. if you don't live according to those values you might buy the dust." archbishop tutu campaigned _ might buy the dust." archbishop tutu campaigned against - might buy the dust." archbishop tutu campaigned against white i tutu campaigned against white minority rule and work hard to unite a deeply divided nation. the arts, as he was known fondly, was also a family man. my fondly, was also a family man. my parents' relationship was strong and loving. they talk about loving each other. they talked about, you know, i think you are so handsome, think you are so beautiful, you look so gorgeous today, you smell delicious. he didn't say you smell delicious. he would say oh, you smell expensive. the . loball oh, you smell expensive. the globally revered _ oh, you smell expensive. the globally revered anti—apartheid i can's send off will be held at the cathedral he called home for many years, to the sounds and hymns he chose ahead of his funeral. we will bring you desmond tutu's funeral in a special programme here. coverage starts on saturday at 7:a5am from st george's cathedral in cape town. the legendary american actress and comedian, betty white, has died, just weeks before her hundredth birthday. her career spanned nine decades from the earliest days of television in the 1930s, and her own shows in the �*50s, to the latest toy story film just two years ago. betty white will probably be best remembered for her portrayal of rose nylund in the sitcom the golden girls. it's believed she died at her home on friday morning. official figures suggest that nearly 2.3 million people in the uk had covid in the week before christmas — the highest level of infections since the data was first compiled last year. the figures indicate that one in 30 of the population had coronavirus. for the week before, the estimate was one in a5. it's translating into greater pressure on the nhs, more than 25,000 health care workers are themselves off sick or isolating each day. our health correspondent katharine da costa reports. most nhs staff will be glad to see the back of 2021. nearly two years into this pandemic, many are exhausted. a spike in covid cases is driving a rise in staff sickness. in england, london is worst affected with about 4% of staff in acute trusts absent for covid—related reasons in the week before christmas, up nearly 60% on the week before. many feel it's impacting on patient care. the staff that are at work will be caring for more patients, trying to do more to cover for their missing colleagues, working extra hours, starting early, finishing late. the pressure will be immense. in the latest infection survey from the 0ns, infections increased across the uk to their highest level on record in the week to christmas eve. in england, one in 25 had the virus. in scotland, wales, and northern ireland, it was one in a0. infections doubled in a week in london. one in 15 tested positive. but there were big rises too in the north—west, yorkshire and the humber and west midlands. other regions weren't far behind. it is now the dominant variant. statisticians say infections are twice the level they were this time last winter in england because they're being fuelled by the more infectious 0micron variant. so across all age groups, we are seeing increases, but particularly driven by those young age groups, we've seen increases among school—age children fairly recently, particularly from nursery through to primary. but we are now seeing infections among older age groups as well, so young adults from the mid—20s to the mid—30s, but spreading right the way up to increases now in the over 70s, although they remain the lowest group to be infected. there's more encouraging news on boosters. new uk data suggests a booster shot is 88% effective at preventing people ending up in hospital due to 0micron. and after a huge push, all uk nations say they've hit the target of offering all adults a third dose by the end of the year. i would just say to people again, there's 1.5 million slots out there over the next few days. there's plenty of opportunities. there is mobile vaccination units, there's gps vaccinating, there's all sorts of ways to get vaccinated. just please come forward and help yourself, but also help reduce that burden on the nhs. and now, this. a second antiviral pill has been approved by the uk regulator. in trials, pfizer's paxlovid drug offered nearly 90% protection from severe illness and death among vulnerable adults. there's a glimmer of hope for the new year. vaccines and new treatments should help protect the most at risk from serious illness. but there are huge uncertainties. if there is a sharp rise in hospital admissions, health leaders say ministers will have to act fast. katharine da costa, bbc news. a 15—year—old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death a teenager in croydon in south london last thursday. there was another fatal stabbing that evening, when a 16—year—old boy was killed in hillingdon in west london. it brings to 30 the number of teenage murders in london in 2021, surpassing the peak of 29 in 2008. our home affairs correspondent tom symonds reports from hillingdon. in 2021's final days, paramedics tried to save two young lives. a 15—year—old stabbed in a park in croydon, south london, and in hillingdon, west london, a 16—year—old with a single stab wound in this green space. two new murder investigations — and a record high for the number of teenage murders in one year. children are carrying knives because they feel like they need to protect themselves. and i'm putting the message out there to every child, please, you need to understand the pain of parents and siblings that have lost somebody to murder. violent crime is falling, but not when it comes to young people murdered in london. more teenage victims than the previous high in 2008 can't be ignored. for some time, and today, police have blamed... the glorification of knives on social media, credibility and people cussing each other on social media. we're seeing it again and again and again. at the same time, we've got changing drug markets and the emergence of county lines in the last few years that we're really focusing on. that's a type of drug dealing which drags vulnerable children into being involved. in hillingdon, people were worried about dealers using the parkland where the murder happened. this man didn't want to be identified. they're obviously trying to protect their little drug lines they've got going on and all that sort of thing, yeah. it's a big worry. it is, i mean, i've got children, you know? in croydon, a 16—year—old's been arrested, and here the investigation continues. these murders will put the metropolitan police under pressure. but youth workers say we need to concentrate instead on the chaotic lives of some young people — and the social reasons why their lives might be threatened. tom symonds, bbc news, west london. in the us, prince andrew's legal team has failed in its legal bid to stop proceedings in a civil sex abuse case. virginia giuffre has accused prince andrew of sexually assaulting her at the homes ofjeffrey epstein and ghislaine maxwell when she was a teenager. prince andrew's lawyers argued that ms giuffre, who now lives in australia, is not a us resident and that her civil legal action should be halted. prince andrew has consistently denied the allegations. the new year's honours list has been published. featuring more than 1200 people, many of them being recognised for their work during the coronavirus pandemic. they're joined by almost 80 olympic and paralympic athletes who competed in last summer's tokyo games. lizo mzimba reports. their faces have become familiar to the public throughout the pandemic. now the chief medical officers for england, chris whitty. if many --eole england, chris whitty. if many peeple have — england, chris whitty. if many people have vaccinated - england, chris whitty. if many people have vaccinated that i people have vaccinated that reduces risk of transmission. for scotland and for wales have all been knighted. a knighthood as well for england's deputy chief medical officer. also being recognised for their role responding to covid, jamie harries of the health security agency and head of the uk's vaccine regulator. they have both become dames. in the entertainment world, joanna lumley says she is stunned to be made a dame.— lumley says she is stunned to be made a dame. patsy stone, 47. both be made a dame. patsy stone, 47- both the — be made a dame. patsy stone, 47. both the her— be made a dame. patsy stone, 47. both the her in _ be made a dame. patsy stone, 47. both the her in korea. - be made a dame. patsy stone, 47. both the her in korea. i'lli 47. both the her in korea. i'll sue! and _ 47. both the her in korea. i'll sue! and her high—profile campaigning work. sue! and her high-profile campaigning work.- sue! and her high-profile campaigning work. when i saw the sentence _ campaigning work. when i saw the sentence saying _ campaigning work. when i saw the sentence saying dbe - campaigning work. when i saw the sentence saying dbe i - campaigning work. when i saw| the sentence saying dbe i burst into tears. it was an extraordinary shop. i put my head in my hands and sobbed like a baby and i thought how has this happened? is it a mistake. i was thrown but i am thrilled to bits.— thrilled to bits. vanessa redgrave _ thrilled to bits. vanessa redgrave says - thrilled to bits. vanessa redgrave says she - thrilled to bits. vanessa redgrave says she is . thrilled to bits. vanessa - redgrave says she is surprised and grateful to also become a dame for services to drama. broadcaster trevor phillips has been knighted in recognition of his decade—long work on equality and human rights. james bond actor daniel craig has been made a cag, the same honour held by the fictional spy honour held by the fictional spy while commander bonds movie producers say they are honoured to be made commanders of the order of the british empire, cbes. martin lewis becomes a cbes. martin lewis becomes a cbe for his work on consumer rights, particularly during the pandemic. i rights, particularly during the pandemic— rights, particularly during the andemic. ., , pandemic. i never thought they would give _ pandemic. i never thought they would give a — pandemic. i never thought they would give a cbe _ pandemic. i never thought they would give a cbe to _ pandemic. i never thought they would give a cbe to someone i would give a cbe to someone like me so it is very gratifying to get it. especially after the last few years we have had when myself and my team have put so much work into trying to help people get through the pandemic financially. two of our best—known soap stars, william roach and june brown have become dbes for services to drama and charity. hello, jim. it's me, dorothy. i5 drama and charity. hello, jim. it's me, dorothy.— it's me, dorothy. is has tv personality _ it's me, dorothy. is has tv personality and _ it's me, dorothy. is has tv| personality and campaigner katie piperfor her work personality and campaigner katie piper for her work with people affected by burns and other injuries. spice girl mel b, a patron of women's aid has been made an mbe for her work highlighting the abusive behaviour. another black lifeand. and diversity star ashley banjo says he is humbled and proud to become an mbe for services to dance.— services to dance. black lives matter. lizo mzimba, bbc news. among the many 0lympic stars to receive an honour is the gold medal—winning diver, tom daley. he spoke to the bbc�*s sally nugent about being given an 0be. iam i am extremely proud to be honoured with an 0be and i think it is also that now being an 0be it is almost like a responsibility to make the whole commonwealth a better place for lgbt people, for women, for people of colour, to make it more inclusive and accepting environment. and in accepting environment. and in accepting this 0be it is now my responsibility to try and help create change and help create the environment where everybody can be anything that they want, no matter where they come from. that is an aspirational thing to mark out, isn't it? that you accept this reward but you almost make it want —— wanted to make you do more. almost make it want -- wanted to make you do more. accepting an obe is _ to make you do more. accepting an obe is one — to make you do more. accepting an obe is one thing _ to make you do more. accepting an obe is one thing but - an 0be is one thing but accepting it and doing something with the, from being just an 0be to being something where i can help people no matter where they are born aware they have come from, that they feel like they can be involved and can be whatever they want to be. because if you cannot see it you cannot bed and at the end of the day i think it is important to be able to live up all the people who feel that they are outsiders who don't fit in, who feel that they have been less than for so many years, to support them in being whatever they want to be and i feel that now an 0be, i they want to be and ifeel that now an 0be, i am able to they want to be and i feel that now an 0be, i am able to lift up now an 0be, i am able to lift up their voices. now an obe, i am able to lift up their voices.— now an obe, i am able to lift up their voices. that was tom dalv speaking _ up their voices. that was tom daly speaking to _ up their voices. that was tom daly speaking to sally - up their voices. that was tom | daly speaking to sally nugent. michael schneider is from the entertainment magazine, variety. he's been reflecting on betty white's career. we don't use the term national treasure lightly but it definitely applies in the case of betty white. we have never known television without betty white. she was there, like you mentioned, at the dawn of television. some of our favourite shows over the years, golden girls, mary tyler moore. she was or is a presence in our life and that is what is so sad and really has a nation in mourning today. there are already many tributes in magazines and newspapers including our own that we are preparing, she got so close to our 100th birthday and that is what is sad about this but obviously her legend lives on. a computer scientist in cape verde has invented a drone system to do the liver medical supplies. it is already reaching the further rest and father of the islands, places it would take days to access. 0ne, it would take days to access. one, two, three. takeoff. tackling old problems with new solute limit new solutions, so far they have made 11 successful flights and. territory is made up of ireland so it is difficult to reach those people that you need and with covid—19, the situation is aggravated. so we decided to adapt it to a drone that could deliver that medication, help with vaccines and deliver vaccines and even collect the specimens for analysis by blood, you're in and other specimens the medical drone comes at a critical time when access to medical issues is an issue. we are having problems with transportation between the islands and some communities are isolated and in using regular or conventional transportation which those locations will be difficult. so thatis locations will be difficult. so that is why we decided to reach those locations by air. in that is why we decided to reach those locations by air.- those locations by air. in 2019 unicef reported _ those locations by air. in 2019 unicef reported that - those locations by air. in 2019 unicef reported that 6.1 - unicef reported that 6.1 million children and young adults have died globally, most of the deaths could have been prevented with quick access to medical care and medication. in 2020, it was recorded that over 590,000 africans died from malaria which is a treatable disease. these deaths could have been prevented with access to medical care. for this nation of islands, every drone may offer a smart solution. i saw first—hand the difficulty in transportation. i had to wait six days to get on this very to meet errico. ferries travel to and from the island only once a week so this drone technology is extremely vital. so this drone here that we tested today is capable of carrying one kilogram and a half but it is not the biggest drone that i built. the biggest one is capable of carrying five kilograms and it travels about ten kilometres. so with these drawings we want to be able to carry more weight and reach those populations that are isolated. this errico is quietly testing and building a drone that can safely deliver covid vaccines to remote islands and hopes governments across the continent see the huge potential in medical technology and support innovators.— technology and support innovators. , ., , ., innovators. these drains are now officially _ innovators. these drains are now officially being - innovators. these drains are now officially being used - innovators. these drains are now officially being used by| now officially being used by local health officials working on mio island to deliver medical supplies. and just before we go let's have a look at some of the new year celebrations, starting in sydney. jazzy music plays. 1812 overture plays. upbeat music plays. pop music plays. inspiring music plays. was a round—up of spectacular new year celebrations from around the world there. thank you for watching. i will see you for watching. i will see you soon. hello. you're not imagining it. it is exceptionally mild at the moment. we will continue to remain in very mild air for the first few days of the new year. notjust the uk, though, but many of our european neighbours have seen record temperatures for new year's eve, certainly records fell in parts of poland, austria, germany and the netherlands. and for new year's day, once again, we could see records being rivalled or toppled, for the day that is. this cold front will push across the uk, through new year's day, quite a skinny little weather front, not much temperature contrast across it and because it is such a narrow band of rain, actually it will not stick around in many areas for very long, perhaps an hour or so of rain working its way from west to east across england and wales. these showers for the west of scotland and northern ireland perhaps more persistent affairs, but look at the temperatures again. quite a lot of sunshine through the day and widely highs in the mid teens. squally showers for the south—east of england through saturday evening, into the small hours of sunday, some heavier showers, moving in from the west in wales and the midlands. a very mild night again. these are the temperatures, more typical of daytime for this time of year. sunday has wetter weather again on the cards for england and wales and some blustery winds. we could see some intense showers working their way through. the driest and brightest weather for sunday will be for scotland and northern ireland. and then on monday, we fall into a bit of a pincer movement in terms of our weather across the uk. we will see this weather front to the south trying to push some rain into this area of low pressure in the north, trying to turn things increasingly unsettled, between the two, some breezy conditions, but i think the best of any sunny spells are for the midlands, the north of england, but to the very south and very north of the uk, there could be some heavier, more persistent rain. a little cooler as well on monday, but temperature still slightly above average for the time of year. however, for tuesday, it looks like we are going to flip around and pick up a northerly wind and that will bring about a very dramatic change in the way things feel. you will have to add on the effect of the wind—chill, but temperatures in edinburgh just four degrees on tuesday, down to eight degrees in london. so, is a big contrast in our weather to come over the next few days ahead. this is bbc news. the headlines: london has seen in the new year with a spectacular fireworks and light display from multiple venues across the city. people were encouraged to stay away and watch the event on tv instead to reduce the spread of coronavirus. president biden has approved a disaster declaration in colorado after entire neighbourhoods in two towns north of denver were engulfed by wildfires on thursday. thousands of residents fled and hundreds of homes were destroyed. in south africa thousands of people have been paying their final respects to the late archbishop desmond tutu had a few state funeral later on saturday. the archbishop, who played a leading role in the battle against the apartheid regime, died on sunday at the age of 90. the dutch government has revealed a $28 billion plan to radically cut the number of livestock in the country as it struggles to contain an overload of animal manure. the netherlands is the world's second biggest agricultural exporter but is under pressure to reduce harmful emissions produced by livetsock such as methane.