(Houston) A nuclear weapons factory near the city of Amarillo in north Texas announced Wednesday that it was resuming normal activity, after a shutdown due to the proximity of forest fires.
“The Pantex factory is open for normal activity this Wednesday, February 28, all staff must report to their stations according to their assigned schedule,” the facility’s operators said in a message published on X (formerly Twitter).
Earlier, the Texas A&M Forest Service announced that 25 of the 31 wildfires recorded in the state were now under control, but noted that the largest of them remains out of control, having devastated more than 1,200 km2.
Satellite images showed fires spreading near the northern Texas city of Amarillo amid high winds and unseasonably high temperatures, the National Weather Service in Amarillo said.
The Pantex factory, located 21 miles (34 kilometers) from Amarillo, previously announced it was suspending operations and had built a fire barrier to protect its facilities.
“Operations at the Pantex factory have been suspended until further notice. All weapons and special materials are safe and unaffected,” said a message posted on X by the factory.
This plant assembles the U.S. nuclear arsenal, tests special nuclear materials, and manufactures powerful explosives.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made a disaster declaration for 60 counties Tuesday, releasing resources to fight the fires.
“Texans are urged to limit activities that could cause fires and take precautions to protect their loved ones,” Mr. Abbott said in a statement.
For its part, the city’s meteorological service advised residents to stay at home.
“Air quality remains poor in the Amarillo area… as smoke continues to spread southward,” the weather service said in a message posted on X.
Several cities, some as far as 100 miles from Amarillo, have issued evacuation orders, closed roads and ordered citizens to shelter at home or in public buildings.