06-28-2011, 11:25 AM
wow.
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. -- Firefighters worked through the night and into Tuesday hoping to put out spot fires erupting ahead of a wildfire in the mountains above the northern New Mexico town that is home to a government nuclear laboratory.
"That's the biggest threat we have right now to homes in the community," Deputy Los Alamos County Fire Chief Mike Thompson said late Monday of the fires that left hillsides above the town of Los Alamos glowing.
The ominous orange haze was visible at night from deserted Trinity Drive in Los Alamos, from which 12,500 residents were evacuated. The evacuation was so calm and orderly that there wasn't even a traffic accident, Police Chief Wayne Torpy said.
A crew that had been working at the Arizona wildfires took over efforts at the New Mexico fire Monday, about 18 hours after the blaze started. It has quickly grown to 44,000 acres -- or 68 square miles -- and ignited a spot fire on lab property.
Another firefighting team was expected to arrive Tuesday because of the potential for the blaze to more than double in size.
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. -- Firefighters worked through the night and into Tuesday hoping to put out spot fires erupting ahead of a wildfire in the mountains above the northern New Mexico town that is home to a government nuclear laboratory.
"That's the biggest threat we have right now to homes in the community," Deputy Los Alamos County Fire Chief Mike Thompson said late Monday of the fires that left hillsides above the town of Los Alamos glowing.
The ominous orange haze was visible at night from deserted Trinity Drive in Los Alamos, from which 12,500 residents were evacuated. The evacuation was so calm and orderly that there wasn't even a traffic accident, Police Chief Wayne Torpy said.
A crew that had been working at the Arizona wildfires took over efforts at the New Mexico fire Monday, about 18 hours after the blaze started. It has quickly grown to 44,000 acres -- or 68 square miles -- and ignited a spot fire on lab property.
Another firefighting team was expected to arrive Tuesday because of the potential for the blaze to more than double in size.