News and Articles

Laboratory-Developed Military Technology Put to Use for Las Conchas Fire Evacuees
 

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico July 1, 2011 - ­Los Alamos National Laboratory and a New Mexico aerial technology firm on Thursday deployed a cutting-edge surveillance system­normally used to help U.S. conventional military forces in combat­for a peaceful purpose: helping Las Conchas fire evacuees see an up-to-date view of their homes.
            A higher resolution version of the system, known as Angel Fire, was developed by LANL and the Air Force Research Laboratory for the Department of Defense. It’s described as a surveillance camera for a city-sized area, complete with instant replay and the ability to zoom in to see, for example, someone planting an improvised explosive device.
            But over Los Alamos, the system is providing snapshots in time viewable over a Web site.
            “This is like Google Earth, except it’s a Google Earth image from today,” said William Rees, LANL’s principal associate director for Global Security. “Our evacuees can access the image and see their homes, or their favorite hiking areas, or the burned areas, on images just a few hours old.”
            “This is yet another example of a technology developed for global security missions being used to help everyday people in a very real way,” said LANL Director Charles McMillan. “When I learned we might be able to use it here, I said ‘let’s make it happen.’”
           
 
The image will allow zooming no closer than a typical Google Earth picture, but will nonetheless provide a bird’s-eye view of tens of square miles.
            Transparent Sky LLC, a small, New Mexico business, is donating the equipment and time for these flights.
To access the images, users should go to www.lasconchas.lanl.govand follow the directions.
Note: The imagery is for reference purposes only and should not be relied upon as an accurate or real-time representation of conditions. Smoke and cloud cover may obscure many areas.  Updated imagery will be obtained when possible and added to this site.
The Laboratory has posted a number of pictures to its Flickr photo site. http://www.flickr.com/photos/losalamosnatlab/
            Media should call 505-820-1226 for updatesand monitor www.nmfireinfo.comor http://www.inciweb.orgfor official fire updates.
 

NMED Air Monitoring Locations

Contact:Jim Winchester,  Communications Director, New Mexico Environment Department

     (505)231-8800 / jim.winchester@state.nm.us

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) continues vigilant oversight of air monitoring in the Los Alamos and surrounding areas.  The Environment Department is taking independent measurements to further assure the public that accurate information is being provided on the status of air quality.  Please note that these monitors are in additionto what Los Alamos National Laboratory is using on their property.

NMED’s Department of Energy (DOE) Oversight Bureau continues to change out filters regularly at 5permanent air monitors stationed around the perimeter of Los Alamos National Laboratory. 

NMED’s Department of Energy (DOE) Oversight Bureau also is using 1additional mobile air monitoring station currently taking samples in the area of the Los Alamos Airport.

Each of these NMED DOE Oversight air monitors collects air samples on a filter.  The filter is removed after the sample period and is sent to one of two outside laboratories in the United States, either in Colorado or St. Louis.  The scientific analysis of the filter requires several days to get the most accurate count of atmospheric elements.  The process for this analysis can take up to seven days to complete.

In addition to these monitors, New Mexico Environment Department has coordinated the arrival and emplacement of up to 16more air monitors.  Most of these monitors will be operated by the EPA and the New Mexico Environment Department.  A few of these monitors will be operated by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) with direct oversight provided by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED).  All of these monitors have been strategically placed around the area of the Las Conchas Fire and in the direction of wind paths.

  Here is the current breakdown:

OPERATIONAL AIR MONITOR LOCATION:       # OF MONTIORS:    AGENCY:        

Santa Clara Pueblo                             3                         EPA & NMED

 San Ildefonso Pueblo                          1                         EPA & NMED

Nambe                                                 1                         EPA & NMED

Pojoaque                                             1                         EPA & NMED

Santa Fe                                              1                         EPA & NMED

Abiquiu                                                 1                         EPA & NMED

Jemez                                                   1                         EPA & NMED

Pena Blanca                                        1                         EPA & NMED

Cuba                                                   1                         EPA & NMED

Espanola                                             1                         EPA & NMED

Taos                                                    2                         LANL & NMED

Dixon                                                   1                         LANL & NMED

Embudo                                               1                         LANL & NMED

In addition to these monitors, New Mexico Environment Department is working with the EPA to set up 2more air monitors. 

INSTALLATION-IN-PROGRESS LOCATION:

Cochiti Pueblo                                          2                         EPA & NMED

In addition to these monitor stations, the EPA and NMED have 12additional air monitors at its disposal.  The agencies will be dispatching these monitors to new locations depending on the wind and fire direction.

All Air monitors will look for one or more of the following:

• Alpha Activity
• Beta Activity
• Gamma Isotopic Activity
• Isotopic Plutonium
• Americium-241
• Isotopic Uranium
• Strontium-90
• Cesium-13

SUMMARY: 

TOTAL NUMBER OF AIR MONITORS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT:

5   (NMED DOE Oversight on LANL Perimeter)

+       1   (NMED DOE Oversight Mobile)

 +     16   (EPA/LANL under NMED         Supervision ON SITE)

+       2    (EPA under NMED Supervision In Progress)

+     12   (EPA under NMED Supervision In Reserve)

   ________

 

  36  TOTAL

The New Mexico Department of Environment will post sampling data after a quality assurance review by scientists.  Air monitoring samples from these specific monitors take seven days to complete.

As announced yesterday by Governor Susana Martinez, preliminary data from the EPA’s ASPECT Aircraft is now being posted online at:   http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/.

 

LANL Director Visits Los Alamos Evacuees

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico July 1, 2011 – Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan and LANL Executive Director Rich Marquez met Thursday with Los Alamos area residents sheltering in the Santa Claran Event Center in Españolaand the Cities of Gold Casino in Pojoaque. McMillan praised the attitude of evacuees who had been displaced by the Las Conchas Fire, saying their spirit was “just wonderful.”
            The director asked evacuees how they were coping and whether they had adequate access to information about the situation, and listened to their concerns. He also expressed his desire to help them in any way possible.
            “One of the messages I heard loud and clear from evacuees was that many of them are isolated from information sources and they do not have a good understanding of what is happening at the Laboratory,” McMillan said. “As a result, we are working with the Red Cross to to make hard-copy versions of our press releases and fact sheets available at the shelters in Españolaand Pojoaque.”
            After meeting with the evacuees, the director returned to Los Alamos to thank firefighters, emergency crews, and volunteers who were enjoying a steak dinner at the Hill Diner. The dinner was provided by the restaurant’s owner, Denise Lane, who, with her team of volunteers, has served nearly 2,000 free meals since the fire started. McMillan lauded the fire and emergency crews, saying that every day, they put their lives on the line to battle what has now become New Mexico’s largest fire. Thanking them for their sacrifice was important, he said.
            The Laboratory has posted pictures related to the Las Conchas Fire to its Flickr photo site, http://www.flickr.com/photos/losalamosnatlab/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  July 1, 2011 at 6:55 a.m.

Las Conchas Fire Spreads North While County Remains on Essential Services Status Los Alamos, New Mexico July 1, 2011 --  More than 1,000 fire crews persisted overnight in the effort to control and contain the 93,678-acre Las Conchas Wildfire still burning in Los Alamos County and spreading northward to Sandoval County and Santa Clara Pueblo lands.  At the daily 2 p.m. Town Hall meeting on Thursday Los Alamos County Fire Chief Doug Tucker said, “We’re keeping it out of our community and out of the lab, but this thing continues to move, continues to grow, and continues to find new fuels.  The sad part is it’s putting folks in Northern New Mexico at risk and it continues to put them at risk.”

Local and Type I fire crews from around the nation are working the blaze together.  Type I Incident Management Teams are interagency fire fighting teams working together with local, state and federal agencies. Area Command Team 1 (Dan Oltrogge, Area Commander) is now managing overall efforts for the Las Conchas and Pacheco Fires. Los Conchas firefighting efforts are divided into two zones: Reinarz's Type 1 Incident Management Team (IMT) is managing the north zone of the fire and Hughes' Type 1 IMT is managing the south zone.

 

Evacuees from Los Alamos continue lodging with friends, family and regional neighbors.  The Santa Clara Pueblo was the first to offer shelter to evacuees and the Santa Claran Resort Center shelter is nearly full. At present, Pojoaque Pueblo’s Cities of Gold shelter houses nearly 30 evacuees (and pets) and has more beds available.  “The regional and national support we’ve received these last few days has been phenomenal, and we are greatly appreciative. As the fire spreads north, however, we know that our neighbors nearby face the same threat and we will stand ready to offer our help and assistance to our Northern New Mexico neighbors any way that we can,” said Steve Lynne, Acting County Administrator.

Los Alamos County has no date for re-opening the townsite to the general public as the threat of the Las Conchas fire is still imminent.  However, essential county staff are returning to work in Los Alamos this morning, if they were recalled by their supervisors.  They will relieve the skeleton crews of county staff who have worked round-the-clock during the last week.  Staff are also working toward restoration of priority county services interrupted by the fire and evacuation.

Today, the County remains on an “Essential Services Only Status.”  County facilities such as the libraries, Aquatic Center and Ice Rink (for Bear Camp) continue to be CLOSED.

Los Alamos County comprises the two communities of White Rock and the Los Alamos townsite.  The Los Alamos townsite is under a mandatory evacuation order.  A “Reverse 911” autodialing system is in place for residents wishing to opt-in for emergency updates via telephone – visit www.losalamosnm.us>to sign up to receive the alerts. Daily 2 p.m. Town Hall meetings for White Rock residents and Los Alamos townsite evacuees are held at the White Rock Baptist Church at 80 SR 4.  View the latest Town Hall meetings at www.PAC8.org>.

The public is encouraged to tune in to Radio 1610, visit www.nmfireinfo.wordpress.comor www.inciweb.org/incident/2385>for fire specific updates, and to contact the 311 Customer Care Center  at 311 from land lines or 662-8333 from cell phones, or to visit www.losalamosnm.us>for community information.