TEXAS: Operations at the Pantex Plant, a nuclear weapons facility in Texas, were halted on Tuesday evening as wildfires encroached upon the area, leading to evacuations in nearby towns.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), plant operators announced the suspension of operations until further notice, emphasizing that all weapons and special materials were secure and unaffected.
Satellite imagery from the Amarillo National Weather Service revealed the fires advancing near the northern city of Amarillo, driven by strong winds and unusually warm temperatures.
The Texas A&M Forest Service reported 31 fires across the state, with the Smokehouse Creek Fire being the largest, scorching 300,000 acres by late Tuesday and remaining uncontained.
Although there was no fire on the Pantex plant site, located 21 miles from Amarillo, all employees were safely accounted for, and non-essential personnel had been evacuated.
Pantex, responsible for assembling and disassembling the US nuclear stockpile and conducting nuclear material testing, assured the public of safety measures in place.
The Amarillo weather service advised residents to stay indoors due to poor air quality resulting from the smoke engulfing the area.
Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties, mobilizing resources for firefighting efforts and urging Texans to take precautions against sparking fires.
Evacuation orders were issued for several towns, some situated up to 100 miles from Amarillo, prompting road closures and directing residents to seek shelter either at home or in designated public facilities.
