Fire Officials Fear Radiation Release

(SALMON) – Authorities working on the Mustang Complex Fire north of Salmon are warning about the possible release of radioactive contaminants into the air. Throughout the Salmon River corridor, hundreds of abandoned mines have potentially dangerous levels of radiation inside them. Residents on the North Fork area are concerned that the mines could pose a threat long after the flames are put out. In spite of the threat, state officials maintain that the danger is low. The fire has burned over 336,000 acres and is only 20 percent contained.