News Release
Date: Monday, Aug. 22, 2011
Time: 5:00 p.m.
#4
Latest update on wildland fire at Idaho Site
About 40 firefighters were making progress on containing a wildland fire burning on the northwest corner of INL land this afternoon.
Firefighters from Idaho National Laboratory, Bureau of Land Management and Butte County teamed up to battle the fire, which started near Highway 33 and burned on both INL and BLM land.
New information:
-- The fire is smoldering on both sides of Highway 33 on BLM and INL property.
-- BLM will take over fire command later this evening, and is bringing in three BLM firefighting units to replace INL firefighters.
-- The 128-acre fire was slowly burning several miles from the nearest INL structures.
-- The cause of the fire is unknown and remains under investigation.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory Emergency Operations Center continues to gather information.
INL’s Joint Information Center has suspended operations for the day.
For further information, media should call the phone numbers listed below, not your regular INL contacts.
Ethan Huffman
Idaho National Laboratory
208-716-4594, ethan.huffman@inl.gov
Lynn Ballard
Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center Office
208-313-7737, lballard@fs.fed.us
Follow-up news releases will be posted on INL’s Web site at: http://www.inl.gov/.
News Release
Date: Monday, Aug. 22, 2011
Time: 4:00 p.m.
#3
Update on wildland fire at Idaho Site
Idaho National Laboratory firefighters continue to battle a blaze that grew to 120 acres on the northwest side of the INL desert Site this afternoon.
The fire is burning on both sides of Highway 33 on Bureau of Land Management and INL property.
New information:
-- BLM air tankers have dropped retardant onto the west and north sides, which are primarily BLM land.
-- The fire is not near any INL facilities at this time.
-- Of the estimated 120 acres burned, about 35 acres are on INL land and the remainder is on BLM land.
-- A unified fire command has been established with BLM.
-- Idaho State Police have reopened Highway 33 to traffic.
-- Rocky Mountain Power is working on two poles that were damaged by fire.
-- At least two dozers are building fire lines to contain hot spots.
-- The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and is under investigation.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Emergency Operations Center continues to gather information.
News release updates will be issued when more information is available. Please note that information about this event reported by unofficial sources may be incomplete or inaccurate.
INL’s emergency Joint Information Center at the Engineering Research Office Building, 2525 Fremont Ave., Idaho Falls, has been activated to respond to any questions you may have about this incident. Media and members of the public should call the phone numbers below, not your regular INL contacts.
Media Information: (208) 526-9206 Please do not call other INL contacts
Public Information: (208) 526-5042
Follow-up news releases will be posted on INL’s Web site at: http://www.inl.gov/.
News Release
Date: Monday, Aug. 22, 2011
Time: 3:30 p.m.
#2
INL firefighters responding to wildland fire at Idaho Site
Idaho National Laboratory firefighters continue to battle a blaze that began early this afternoon near Highway 33 on the northwest side of the INL desert Site.
The blaze is burning on an estimated 90 acres of grass and sagebrush on both sides of the highway on both Bureau of Land Management and INL property.
Idaho State Police and INL Security have blocked access to Highway 33 on the north and south sides of Howe Junction to prevent motorists from driving near the fire.
Three INL fire engines are at the scene, and firefighters are teaming with others from Butte County and the Bureau of Land Management. INL heavy equipment units also are at the scene of the wildfire.
Weather conditions were reported to be 91 degrees with winds from the south-southwest at 12 mph.
INL officials say there is no known radiological hazard to the public at this time.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Emergency Operations Center has been activated and is gathering information. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
News release updates will be issued when more information is available.
Please note that information about this event reported by unofficial sources may be incomplete or inaccurate.
INL’s emergency Joint Information Center at the Engineering Research Office Building, 2525 Fremont Ave., Idaho Falls, has been activated to respond to any questions you may have about this incident. Media and members of the public should call the phone numbers below, not your regular INL contacts.
Media Information: (208) 526-9206 Please do not call other INL contacts
Public Information: (208) 526-5042
Follow-up news releases will be posted on INL’s Web site at: http://www.inl.gov/.
News Release
Date: Monday, Aug. 22, 2011
Time: 2:30 p.m.
#1
Department of Energy’s Emergency Operations Center is gathering information about a reported fire north of the Idaho Site
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been activated and is gathering information about a wildland fire on the northwest side of the INL desert Site.
The blaze began this afternoon near Highway 33 between Arco and Howe near the Howe Peak area. It is burning several acres of grasses and sagebrush on both sides of Highway 33 near Mile Marker 9.
The INL Fire Department has activated and INL firefighters are teaming with others from Butte County and the Bureau of Land Management. INL heavy equipment units have arrived at the scene of the wildfire.
When events such as this are reported, DOE activates its EOC as a standard practice to gather information and coordinate site-wide incident responders, as needed. This news release is being issued to alert you of the incident and the EOC activation. INL officials say there is no known hazard or risk to the public.
INL employees are responding to investigate the incident; and state, county and tribal officials are being notified. News release updates will be issued when more information is available. Additional details on the nature of the incident and a preliminary impact assessment will be provided to the media and the public as soon as they are available and confirmed.
Please note that information about this event reported by unofficial sources may be incomplete or inaccurate.
INL’s emergency Joint Information Center at the Engineering Research Office Building, 2525 Fremont Ave., Idaho Falls, has been activated to respond to any questions you may have about this incident. Media and members of the public should call the phone numbers below, not your regular INL contacts.
Media Information: (208) 526-9206 Please do not call other INL contacts
Public Information: (208) 526-5042
Follow-up News Releases will be posted on INL’s Web site at: http://www.inl.gov/.
