Severe fire danger necessitates wildland access restrictions

Contact: James E. Rickman, jamesr@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9203 (03-089)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., July 10, 2003 -- Effective immediately, Laboratory managers have closed all Lab-controlled wilderness areas to all nonwork-related activities as a result of extreme fire danger, lingering severe drought conditions, pine beetle infestation and lack of available fire fighting resources. Similar restrictions were imposed last summer as wildland fire conditions elevated to extreme levels.

"It is once again appropriate and prudent for LANL to invoke restrictions on Lab property in light of the elevated fire danger," said Jim Holt, associate Laboratory Director for Operations. "The purpose of these closures is two-fold: First, we want to reduce the potential for wildland fire ignition by human causes such as vehicles or smoking; and second, we want to reduce the potential for employees being trapped in a Laboratory forested area if a fire starts, recognizing that natural events, such as lightning, cannot be controlled."

The Laboratory comprises more than 40 square miles of land, much of it wilderness. All undeveloped or wildland areas of the Laboratory will be closed to all nonwork activities — such as jogging, cycling, walking and similar recreation-like activities. The closure includes Wellness Center trails and public access to undeveloped Laboratory areas to the south and east of State Road 4.

Restrictions will remain in effect until weather or fire conditions significantly improve.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.

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