Fires threaten US nuclear lab

A wildfire is advancing on the Los Alamos nuclear laboratory in New Mexico, which stores thousands of drums of nuclear waste. The fire has forced the evacuation of the entire city of Los Alamos, 11,000 people. The nuclear facility covers nearly 100 square kilometres.

The lab was created during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project to build the atomic bomb. In the decades since, the lab has evolved into a major scientific and nuclear research facility. There are thousands of drums of nuclear waste at the facility, as well as material for the assembly of atomic weapons.

Lab officials said there was very little risk of the fire reaching nuclear material, since the flames would have to jump through several canyons on the property first.

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