Sheep fire now at 85,000 acres, INL preparing for loss of power
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The following is a news release from Idaho National Laboratory.
As a result of the Sheep Fire, all non-essential employees are being evacuated at several Idaho National Laboratory site facilities: Central Facilities Area, Advanced Test Reactor Complex, Naval Reactors Facility, EBR-1, Integrated Waste Treatment Unit, Radioactive Waste Management Complex, Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project and Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center.
New information
- Naval Reactors Facility leadership has decided to curtail operations for their day and swing-shift employees
Gate 1, the main INL Site entrance, is currently closed to non-emergency traffic. - INL Site facilities are preparing for anticipated loss of commercial power and are switching to on-site backups per existing emergency procedures.
- Changes in wind and fire behavior since earlier this morning led Emergency Management to evacuate all non-essential employees from potentially affected facilities as a precaution.
- Employees should watch for lab communications about other potential curtailments to facilities on the INL Site.
- Fire officials have updated the burn estimate to approximately 85,000 acres.