Texas Wildfire Prompts Nuclear Facility Closure

WASHINGTON, DC (IANS) – An out-of-control wildfire in the Texas Panhandle, fueled by high winds and dry air, prompted evacuation orders in small towns and shut down a nuclear facility, according to media reports.

Pantex Plant, a major nuclear weapons facility in the US, suspended its operation on February 27 night due to the raging wildfires.

The plant, located 21 miles (about 33.8 kilometers) east of Texas Panhandle’s largest city Amarillo, assembles and disassembles the country’s nuclear arsenal.

Hot and dry conditions caused by high temperatures and windy conditions are expected to continue in the region in the coming days, raising fears that the wildfires may grow larger and more dangerous.