Fires Ignited at Former U.S. Nuclear Testing Site

Monday, July 11, 2011Authorities were testing for airborne radiation after lightning ignited multiple wildfires last Tuesday at the Nevada National Security Site, which hosted more than 1,000 nuclear test detonations over roughly four decades, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Saturday (see GSN, May 5).

"There have been no positive readings," as anticipated, and flames were not closing in on any one-time nuclear test locations, NNSS operations center spokesman Dante Pistone said. Radiation monitoring in the area would continue as a precaution, he said.

More than nine square miles of the former Nevada Test Site as of Friday had been afflicted by wildfires, the largest of which was one-fourth controlled.

Flames progressed within "several miles" of the site of one nuclear test detonation that was conducted over ground levels, Pistone said.

Read the rest on: Global Security Newswire