News and Articles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2011 at 5:05 p.m.

Los Alamos, NM – Los Alamos County officials have completed their inital plan to recall County employees in preparing to re-open the townsite in the near future. A limited number of employees will be reporting to work tomorrow morning. Those employees are being contacted today by their direct supervisor to arrive for their scheduled work shift. Employees should check cell phone messages or land line message machines to learn if they have been recalled to report to work on Friday. In addition, employees are asked to contact their supervisors to let them know of their availability to return to work in the future and to relay any other contact information to them.

Employees will need to show a County ID to enter through the security checkpoint on East Jemez Rd. Those without their County ID will need to proceed to the White Rock Library first to get a new badge printed before proceeding to the security checkpoint. Only those employees who have been recalled today by their supervisor should plan to report to work tomorrow. Employees reporting to work but not recalled will be asked to leave the townsite.

No date for re-opening the townsite to the general public has been announced yet; the threat of the Las Conchas fire is still too imminent.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2011 at 4:30 p.m.

Los Alamos, NM – Los Alamos officials today responded to the outpouring of support for those fighting the Las Conchas wildfire, but asked for assistance in managing material donations coming in to the County, especially donations of food to the local fire stations.

“The outreach to Los Alamos has been phenomenal since the start of the Las Conchas wildfire. Los Alamos is truly grateful and overwhelmed by everyone who is interested in helping us,” said Acting County Administrator Steve Lynne. “However, at this time, the County is simply not able to continue to accept the large number of food donations that are arriving at the local fire stations. We want to assure the public that we’ve organized meals for the firefighters here in Los Alamos who are battling the Las Conchas wildfire. We are taking good care of these brave men and women fighting hard to keep our community safe.”

The Red Cross continues to accept donations and the public is asked to work with their coordinator Daniel Meza – he can be reached at 505-265-8514.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

Los Alamos, NM – Los Alamos remains CLOSED to the general public at this time due to the Las Conchas wildfire. As soon as the town can be re-populated, the County will issue a News Release with details. The security checkpoint at SR 4/East Jemez Rd remains in place.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2011 at 8:45 a.m.

Los Alamos, NM – As of Thursday morning, fire crews reported the northern finger of the blaze is extending northward  toward the Santa Clara Pueblo.  Incident Teams continue work on all sections of the massive blaze, with two Type 1 incident management teams divided to work on the north and south ends of the fire.  Smoke over Los Alamos and White Rock was especially heavy this morning with a thermal inversion overnight, but smoke should clear later this morning.

Winds today will be the biggest challenge for firefighters, with gusts as much as 35mph in the forecast and out of the southwest. The emphasis on protecting Los Alamos and Pajarito Canyons will continue to be at the forefront of firefighting and mitigation efforts. In addition, County Public Works crews began working in Pueblo and School Canyons this morning to remove sediment, in anticipation of increased storm runoff after the fire because of the heavily burned soils in the watershed above Los Alamos. Improvements to Pueblo Canyon infrastructure, such as a larger culvert installed at Diamond Drive/North Rd  after flooding occurred in July 2001 (due to the Cerro Grande May 2000 fire) along with increased infrastructure protection for utilities in the canyon, are expected to be able to handle the increased run off.

The County will hold another noon news conference at 20th/Trinity at the Media Staging Area, followed by a 2 p.m. Town Hall for White Rock and Los Alamos residents at the White Rock Baptist Church (80 State Rt

4) to answer questions and provide updates on the fire. US Forest Service and other organizational representatives will be on hand to answer questions about the fire as well.

While today will be another challenging day for firefighters battling the Las Conchas wildfire, County officials voiced support, sympathy and understanding for residents across New Mexico who are facing wildfires of their own.

“Any community would be stressed by wildfire of any size.  We are not alone in our vulnerability to wildfire during this record drought season,” said Acting County Administrator Steve Lynne.  “We want to thank Rio Arriba County, the City of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, Colfax County, City of Tucumcari, and Torrance County for their tremendous and timely assistance in fighting the wildfire.  The regional and national support we’ve received these last few days has been phenomenal, and we are greatly appreciative. As the fire begins to spread further north, however, we know that our neighbors nearby are facing significant firefighting challenges and then recovery in the weeks to come. We will stand ready to offer our help and assistance to our Northern New Mexico neighbors any way that we can.”

Fire Mitigation Efforts Ongoing at Laboratory

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico June 30, 2011­- Though no fires are burning on Los Alamos National Laboratory property, numerous personnel are actively engaged in fire mitigation projects throughout the Laboratory’s 36 square miles.
            Crews are in the process of thinning fuels and improving existing fire roads at five locations on Laboratory property.  One project is specifically dedicated to reducing potential fuel sources in the vicinity of Area G, the Laboratory’s Radioactive Waste Storage and Disposal Facility. As part of that project, crews are using industrial-sized mowers and large-vegetation mulching machines known as “Masticators” to reduce grasses, shrubs and small trees along Pajarito Road. Crews are also conditioning fire roads in the vicinity and spraying water to moisten potential ignition sources.
            Crews are engaged in similar activities along West Jemez Road, at an access area close to N.M. 4 just southwest of the community of White Rock, along a power line corridor located between the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center and the Laboratory’s Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility, and around the Laboratory’s explosive materials firing site northwest of the entrance to Bandelier National Monument.
            “These activities will help further protect the Laboratory from wildfire,” said Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan. “We are extremely appreciative of the continuing efforts of firefighting crews and Laboratory employees who are diligently protecting the nation’s premier national security science facility. These efforts will help us continue our national security mission.”
            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.
In earlier news, LANL announced Wednesday that 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.  Media should call 505-820-1226 for updatesand monitor www.nmfireinfo.comfor official fire updates.