Fighting Fire With Fire At Los Alamos

04:34

June 30, 2011

A helicopter flies over the Los Alamos Laboratory as smoke rises from the Las Conchas fire in Los Alamos, N.M., Wednesdaya. (AP) — A helicopter flies over the Los Alamos Laboratory as smoke rises from the Las Conchas fire in Los Alamos, N.M., Wednesday. (AP)

Here & Now Guest:

KSFR reporter Charles Maynard

Fire crews have burned the perimeter around the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico, creating a blackened ring to keep the wild fire that surrounds the lab at bay.

Los Alamos is where the first Atomic bomb was developed and remains the nation's pre-eminent nuclear research facility.

Fire officials say the fire line around the laboratory is holding so far, and nuclear materials are safe, but state and federal governments have brought in air monitors and an airplane to check for radiation and other toxic and nuclear materials.

The raging wild fire has burned 90,000 acres in under a week, with the smoke now visible from space.

KSFR reporter Charles Maynard told Here & Now's Robin Young that KSFR's broadcasts have only been available online since Wednesday, when the wildfire knocked out its transmission tower.

KSFR is the largest radio news organization in the state.

This segment aired on June 30, 2011.