Massive Texas Wildfires Pause Work At Nuclear Facility

Wildfires raging across the Texas panhandle on Tuesday forced a nuclear weapons facility to temporarily shut down. Evacuations and power shut offs ravaged the area as many fled the unpredictable blazes. 

The National Nuclear Security Administration reported that the evacuation of non-essential staff was due to an “abundance of caution,” according to the Associated Press.

The Pantex facility is located northeast of Amarillo. It last manufactured a new nuclear weapon in 1991 but promotes itself as “the nation’s primary assembly, disassembly, retrofit and life-extension center for nuclear weapons.”

Thousands of retired nuclear armaments have been dismantled at the site. It also holds interim storage for plutonium waste across its 650 buildings and 18,000 acres.

By Wednesday, Pantex posted on X, formerly Twitter, that it was “open for normal day shift operations.” All scheduled personnel were to report for duty.

The situation for many in the Lone Star State remains dire. Roughly 5,000 residents are without power due to damage from the wildfires and precautionary shut offs.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued an emergency declaration for 60 counties affected by what is being described as the second largest wildfire in state history. And there is little relief in sight.

Abbott noted that “hot and dry conditions caused by high temperatures and windy conditions are expected to continue in the region in the coming days.”

Winds later in the week are expected to diminish to “only” 15-25 m.p.h., but that is still powerful enough to spread uncontrolled burns further across the state.

The governor warned that the combination of temperatures and wind gusts may increase the potential for these expansive wildfires to become even larger and more threatening.

Abbott urged residents to avoid outside activities that could create sparks or flames and take all necessary precautions to keep loved ones safe.

The scope of the blaze has grown in recent days from 300,000 acres to 500,000. The effects of unseasonably warm weather and gusty winds quickly created an out of control situation that fire officials continue to attempt to contain. 

Some of the largest of the wildfires reported 0% containment.