Los Alamos National Lab Posted This Story On Their Site On Friday

[no limit]

Tips to protect yourself from wildfires

http://www.lanl.gov/news/stories/create_defensible_space.html

The fire broke out Sunday afternoon. Kind of prophetic.

[damntexdem]

1. They forgot at least one: remove all nuclear material from likely path of fire.

Unfortunately, they not only forgot to list it, they also forgot to do it.

[Tesha]

3. Does it really look like there's much there to burn?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Los+Alamos&hl=en&ll=35.873299,-106.320469&spn=0.009354,0.017552&t=h&z=16

[vduhr]

4. Fire has a strong tendency to....

jump. The buildings could catch fire simply from burning ash flying through the air. It's amazing how, when a large plot of land, such as in your photo, can look like there's nothing that can burn, the surrounding trees can blow ash into that area, and the trees burning up next to the property are extremely hot. That's why people hose down their roofs when near a fire, even if they have cleared land around their homes.

[vduhr]

2. Not really prophetic...

We've been experiencing extremely dry weather here in New Mexico for the past few months. Since March we have had high winds, then extremely hot weather along with high winds. Everyone is on alert and many camping and nature areas are being closed down. We have fires breaking out somewhere in the State almost every day. I think Los Alamos was just acting on the alerts by posting that information on their website.

[originalpckelly]

5. What you don't get is that sheltering in place is for a nuclear emergency.

Not for a fire.

"Sheltering in place
Sometimes, sheltering in place is safer than evacuating. No matter where employees are—at their home or workplace—the basic steps of shelter-in-place generally remain the same.
In addition to creating a defensible space around their location, employees should:
Determine in which room to shelter. The room should be above ground level and have few or no windows
Keep the room stocked with food, water, and medical/first aid supplies
Shut and lock all windows (tighter seal) and close exterior doors
Turn off air conditioners, heaters, and fans
Close vents to ventilation systems
Make a list of the people sheltering and share it with someone outside the home or workplace
Turn on a radio or TV and listen for further instructions
Take cell phones to use during the emergency
Perform regular fire safety, evacuation, and shelter-in-place drill"

They were worried about fires and the need to stay put, just in case nuclear material is somehow made airborne by the fire.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Odd from your link

Sheltering in place
Sometimes, sheltering in place is safer than evacuating. No matter where employees are—at their home or workplace—the basic steps of shelter-in-place generally remain the same.
In addition to creating a defensible space around their location, employees should:
Determine in which room to shelter. The room should be above ground level and have few or no windows
Keep the room stocked with food, water, and medical/first aid supplies
Shut and lock all windows (tighter seal) and close exterior doors
Turn off air conditioners, heaters, and fans
Close vents to ventilation systems
Make a list of the people sheltering and share it with someone outside the home or workplace
Turn on a radio or TV and listen for further instructions
Take cell phones to use during the emergency
Perform regular fire safety, evacuation, and shelter-in-place drill
--------------

As a disaster person, this was never the advise I remember for wild fires.... odd

[originalpckelly]

7. Unless the wildfires release radioactive materials.

That's what you do in case of that.

I'm so glad my old high school friend who works there, isn't there right now.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. I know... that is advise for a nuclear emergency

if there is no way to evacuate


That said if you are down wind from fires... not in the line of them, and have asthma, NOT using your AC and keeping windows closed is a good idea. Yes, we gave that advise.