Sandy fire burns near former nuclear test site, triggering air monitoring efforts
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The Sandy fire is burning near a toxic waste area in the Simi Valley where a partial nuclear meltdown once took place, sparking concerns about the potential for contaminants to be released should the area catch fire.The Ventura County Fire Department announced Wednesday evening that air quality monitoring is being conducted around the fire’s perimeter due to the blaze’s proximity to the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
The 2,850-acre laboratory complex was formerly used for rocket engine testing and nuclear research and is currently undergoing a state-led environmental cleanup.Fire Department spokesperson Andrew Dowd said monitoring had been “deployed to establish a background air quality, so that if the fire advances further into that sensitive area we would have a baseline to compare against.” He noted that the fire had not yet reached the field laboratory area and that crews were making strong progress containing the blaze.
Climate & Environment The Santa Susana Field Laboratory is the subject of a new documentary, “In the Dark of the Valley.”The fire had burned 2,141 acres and was 30% contained as of 3:30 p.m.Thursday, at which time several evacuation orders and warnings were downgraded.
By nightfall, containment had jumped to 40%.“Today we’re experiencing lower winds and higher relative humidity, so we’re seeing reduced fire behavior,” said Dowd.
“Because of that, the risk of the fire spreading in any direction is less than it was before.”The field laboratory is currently in an evacuation warning zone to the east of the fire.The Department of Toxic Substances Control, which oversees environmental remediation of the site, said it is working closely with local and federal agencies to monitor the incident and potential impacts to communities near the laboratory site.“To ensure we are aware of any off-site impacts, the emergency response team has...