July 2, 2011

Amazing collection of dramatic photos from NM and AZ fires ^Reply

All, Natural Disasters, News: US • Tags: Arizona, AZ Fires, Big Lake AZ, Buffalo Thunder Casino, Eagar AZ, hotshot crews, Jemez Mountains, Las Conchas fire, Lee Valley rec area, Los Alamos, Los Alamos fire, Los Alamos National Labs, Luna NM, New Mexico, NM Fires, Pacheco Canyon fire, Pajarito Mountain ski area, Pojoaque NM, Raton fire, raton nm, Santa Fe NM, sky crane, slurry bomber, Springerville AZ, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Wallow Fire

Amazing collection of dramatic photos from NM and AZ fires.

A firefighter walks through heavy smoke near the Los Alamos fire, June 29, 2011 JAE C. HONG AP

Flames from the Las Conchas fire burn in the hills above Los Alamos National Laboratory, a nuclear facility June 27, 2011 JAE C. HONG AP

The Las Conchas fire burns near the Valles Caldera National Preserve near Los Alamos, New Mexico, June 27, 2011 EDDIE MOORE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL ZUMAPRESS

Los Alamos, New Mexico, June 29, 2011 JAE C. HONG AP

Hotshot crew members prepare to work in the Pajarito Mountain ski area, June 28, 2011 JAE C. HONG AP

Flames consume vegetation on the Jemez Mountains, near Los Alamos, New Mexico, June 28, 2011 EDDIE MOORE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL ZUMAPRESS

Los Alamos residents leave the area on June 27, 2011, as the Las Conchas fire encroaches on the city ADOLPHE PIERRE-LOUIS ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL ZUMA PRESS

The sun shines through smoke from the Las Conchas fire burning near Los Alamos, N.M., on June 27, 2011 SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN AP

A slurry bomber flies over the Pacheco Canyon fire as it burns north of Santa Fe, N.M., on June 18, 2011 EDDIE MOORE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL ZUMAPRESS

A burned structure is seen north of Raton, N.M., on June 16, 2011 RICK BOWMER AP

A sky crane near Luna, N.M., fills up with a fire retardant on June 14, 2011 Matt York AP

Fire officials look over a map of the Wallow wildfire in Eagar, Ariz., on June 22, 2011 JOSHUA LOTT THE NEW YORK TIMES

Smoke from the Pacheco Canyon wildfire rises behind the Buffalo Thunder Casino, Pojoaque NM, June 19, 2011 BRIAN SNYDER REUTERS

These tents in Eagar, Ariz., provide an incident command center as well as a place for firefighters to sleep MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ AP

A firefighter does battle with the Wallow fire in Nutrioso, Ariz., on June 10, 2011 MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ AP

Fire-crew members sharpen their tools as they prepare for a back-burn operation to slow the spread of the Wallow fire JAE C. HONG AP

Smoke rises around the Lee Valley recreational area on June 12, 2011, as the Wallow fire continues to burn in Big Lake, AZ KEVORK DJANSEZIAN GETTY IMAGES

The sun sets behind smoke from the Wallow fire Luna, NM, June 13, 2011 Matt York AP

A roadside in Springerville, Ariz., on June 8, 2011 ERIC THAYER GETTY IMAGES

Emily Shupe comforts her 18-month-old son Jax as the family prepares to evacuate to Phoenix from Springerville, Ariz., on June 7, 2011 MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ AP

Firefighters sleep between trucks at the command post for the Wallow fire in Springerville, Ariz., on June 8, 2011 ERIC THAYER GETTY IMAGES

Police officers direct cars as residents leave Springerville, Ariz., on June 7, 2011 JOSHUA LOTT REUTERS

The fire fills the sky behind Robert Joseph, 64, Luna NM, June 6, 2011 JAE C. HONG AP

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June 28, 2011

Los Alamos NM evacuated as fire rages near Nuclear labs. Aerial footage. ¹

All, Natural Disasters, News: US • Tags: evacuated, Jemez Mountains, Las Conchas fire, Los Alamos, Los Alamos National Labs, New Mexico, NM, NM Fires, Nuclear, threatened

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., June 28 (UPI) — Residents were ordered to evacuate Los Alamos, N.M., as an out-of-control wildfire was at the town’s edge and buffeted the secretive U.S. military nuclear lab.

A Los Alamos National Laboratory spokesman said the blaze, at the facility’s southern boundary, remained a few miles from key structures on the 25,600-acre property.

Nuclear and other hazardous materials were in safe storage deep inside vaults within concrete and steel buildings, Kevin Roark told the Alibi newspaper of Albuquerque.

The lab would not comment on a Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety allegation that the wildfire was about 3 miles from a nuclear dumpsite containing tens of thousands of 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste.

The anti-nuclear watchdog group’s Web site appeared hacked early Tuesday morning, a United Press International check indicated. Its Facebook page had six messages from people alerting the group of the possible hacking, including a message commenting on the timing of the incident happening “just as the fires started.”

The wildfire, which began Sunday and exceeded 50,000 acres, or 78 square miles, early Tuesday, destroyed at least 30 homes and outbuildings south and west of Los Alamos, fire officials said.

“We don’t have a hard number,” Los Alamos Assistant Fire Chief Mike Thompson told the Albuquerque Journal.

Officials planned a flyover Tuesday morning to assess its scope.

The fire — whose flames and smoke could be seen from Albuquerque, about 80 miles south — caused erosion and runoff, with contaminants threatening the Rio Grande, officials said.

Roark told the Alibi, “There were not appreciable levels of radioactivity in the runoff.”

After the Cerro Grande fire in 2000, which devastated Los Alamos and changed firefighting policies and strategies all across the West, the lab installed structures to prevent heavy runoff, he said.

Some residents evacuating the town were “calm and other people are really frantic,” Sheila Luna told the Santa Fe New Mexican.

“The Conoco gas station ran out of gas last night, and at the next gas station I waited for 15 minutes before I could get the car filled up,” she said. “That part was kind of scary to me.”

Source: UPI

Aerial footage of Las Conchas wildfire, Los Ala…, posted with vodpod

June 27, 2011

Los Alamos NM evacuated from fires – Labs closed: Boycott fireworks in NM, fires all over the state (photos) ²

All, Natural Disasters, News: US • Tags: Belen, boycott fireworks, closed, evacuated, fires, forest fires, Jemez Mountains, LANL, Las Conchas fire, Los Alamos, Los Alamos National Labs, New Mexico, NM, NM Fires, radioactive materials safe, Taos County

Please, everyone in New Mexico… BOYCOTT ALL FIREWORKS THIS YEAR!

Fires are erupting all over the state, no rain in site.

Page on Facebook in support of this boycott (must be logged into FB): Click here

Los Alamos evacuated as Las Conchas fire grows

A mandatory evacuation for the City of Los Alamos is in effect Monday (June 27) as the Las Conchas wildfire threatens the area.

Eletha Trujillo with the Taos County Office of Emergency Management said the primary health concern for Taos County residents was the smoke from the fire that has settled in the area.

Trujillo said the forecast tonight is for cooler temperatures and calming winds, meaning Taoseños might wake up to especially smoky conditions tomorrow (June 28). She recommended that people with health conditions stay indoors and asked that drivers be especially cautious because of limited visability.

Trujillo said that she did not perceive any risk of radiation in the smoke from Los Alamos. Officials at the labs have insisted that all radioactive materials are safely stored and do not pose a threat. A spokesman from the lab could not immediately be reached for comment.

According to a Monday afternoon incident update on the fire, it had grown to nearly 44,000 acres and was 0 percent contained. The Los Alamos National Labs (LANL) were also closed to nonessential personnel Monday.

According to information from Los Alamos County, the evacuation of three areas was taking place Monday, with the groups being notified by “reverse 911.”

Group one includes Western, Quemazon and Ponderosa; group two includes North Community, Barranca Mesa and North Mesa; and group three includes East of Diamond and the rest of the town. Evacuees were urged not to go to White Rock in case that area is evacuated, as well.

Transportation is available for those who call (505) 661-7433. The Big Rock Santa Claran Event Center was opened as a shelter.

Campgrounds near the fire were evacuated Sunday (June 26).

Las Conchas fire started Sunday afternoon on private land near the Jemez Ranger District in the Santa Fe National Forest, about 3 miles south of Los Alamos. Structures and power lines were threatened, but according to the incident update, “all radioactive material is appropriately accounted for and protected.”

For more information and updates, call (505) 667-6622 or visit www.lanl.gov

Source: Taos News

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Below: Los Alamos, Los Conchas Fire