Thursday, June 30, 2011

Los Alamos Fire 2011 [Las Conchas Fire] Update

Here is the most recent news sent out about the fire. It's good news!!! Keep praying though :)

Los Alamos County Fire Chief Doug Tucker said today (Wednesday, June 29) that preventive burns just outside the western boundary of the Laboratory have been successful.

“In my professional opinion, there is a less than 10% chance of spot fires on Lab property this evening, diminishing tomorrow,” Tucker said during a briefing to emergency managers.

Firefighters began setting “back burns” on the west side of New Mexico State Route 501 around mid-morning. Those operations were declared complete by evening. The burns were intended to remove available fuel from the Las Conchas Fire, which has consumed more than 60,000 acres on two sides of the 37-square-mile LANL site but only one acre of the Lab itself.

“What I witnessed today was an incredibly professional job by men and women who are risking their lives to save our community and this Laboratory,” said LANL Director Charles McMillan. “I could feel the heat of the fire on my face as I watched from the roof of our Emergency Operations Center.”

 The Laboratory has posted video of the preventive burn to a new YouTube page at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETd8OCXVvkM.

No wild fires are currently burning on Lab property. All of the Laboratory’s nuclear and hazardous materials, including its waste and environmental remediation sites, are safe, accounted for, and protected.

Earlier today, the Lab announced it would remain closed through Friday, July 1.

 Laboratory employees seeking further information about the Las Conchas fire should check local news sources, Los Alamos County Emergency Radio on AM 1610, the LANL Update Hotline (505-667-6622) and the LANL web page (www.lanl.gov) for updates.


The Laboratory has posted a number of pictures to its Flickr photo site including images of the deployed AIRNET units. http://www.flickr.com/photos/losalamosnatlab/.

A Joint Information Center has been established at the Regional Development Corporation, 2209 Miguel Chavez Rd. in Santa Fe.

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