Los Alamos, where the American atomic bomb was born under the Manhattan Project led by Robert Oppenheimer, currently has plutonium levels similar to the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, researchers have warned.

“Extreme concentrations” of the radioactive material plutonium&nbsp;were found in soil, plants and water in the area, located in New Mexico state, said a study by North Arizona University researchers.

After years of redevelopment to make it safe, the land around Los Alamos had been turned into a dirt trail popular with bikers, hikers and runners, The Guardian newspaper said in a report.

WATCH: WION reports from the world's first-ever floating nuclear power plant in Russia's Far East

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In the area known as 'Acid Canyon', Northern Arizona University scientist Michael Ketterer found plutonium levels to be "among the highest" he had ever seen in a publicly accessible area in the US, and similar to Chernobyl in Ukraine, the site of the nuclear spillage disaster.

“This is one of the most shocking things I’ve ever stumbled across in my life,” said Ketterer, who led the study,&nbsp;pointing out that the radioactive isotopes are “hiding in plain sight”.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Energy said the plutonium levels were “very low and well within the safe exposure range,” said the report.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-use-weapons-never-used-before-iran-issues-threat-as-israel-mulls-over-retaliation-711898">Also read: ‘Will use weapons never used before’: Iran issues threat as Israel mulls over retaliation</a>

Ketterer agreed that immediate danger is low, but said the environmental risk is still worrying.

Plutonium can contaminate water supplies that eventually flow into the Rio Grande River. It can get into plants and eventually the&nbsp;food chain, or can be dispersed widely in ash in the event of a wildfire, he warned.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hiroshima-nagasaki-at-78-nolans-oppenheimer-has-put-atomic-focus-on-safe-use-of-nuclear-energy-623922">Also read: Hiroshima-Nagasaki at 78: Nolan's Oppenheimer has put 'atomic' focus on safe use of nuclear energy</a>

Until 1963, the Los Alamos National Laboratory sent radioactive waste into a canyon that became so saturated in toxic waste that it was dubbed 'Acid Canyon,' said the report.

The Guardian report&nbsp;said the study comes at a time when the US Department of Defense plans to increase production of plutonium pits, a core component of nuclear weapons, at Los Alamos.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Los Alamos was excluded from a defence bill that expanded funds for those exposed to the government’s radioactive waste.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Los Alamos, where the American atomic bomb was born under the Manhattan Project led by Robert Oppenheimer, currently has plutonium levels similar to the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, researchers have warned.

Los Alamos, where the American atomic bomb was born under the Manhattan Project led by Robert Oppenheimer, currently has plutonium levels similar to the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, researchers have warned. “Extreme concentrations” of the radioactive material plutonium were found in soil, plants and water in the area, located in New Mexico state, said a study by North Arizona University researchers. After years of redevelopment to make it safe, the land around Los Alamos had been turned into a dirt trail popular with bikers, hikers and runners, The Guardian newspaper said in a report. WATCH: WION reports from the world's first-ever floating nuclear power plant in Russia's Far East × In the area known as 'Acid Canyon', Northern Arizona University scientist Michael Ketterer found plutonium levels to be "among the highest" he had ever seen in a publicly accessible area in the US, and similar to Chernobyl in Ukraine, the site of the nuclear spillage disaster. “This is one of the most shocking things I’ve ever stumbled across in my life,” said Ketterer, who led the study, pointing out that the radioactive isotopes are “hiding in plain sight”. Meanwhile, the US Department of Energy said the plutonium levels were “very low and well within the safe exposure range,” said the report. Also read: ‘Will use weapons never used before’: Iran issues threat as Israel mulls over retaliation Ketterer agreed that immediate danger is low, but said the environmental risk is still worrying. Plutonium can contaminate water supplies that eventually flow into the Rio Grande River. It can get into plants and eventually the food chain, or can be dispersed widely in ash in the event of a wildfire, he warned. Also read: Hiroshima-Nagasaki at 78: Nolan's Oppenheimer has put 'atomic' focus on safe use of nuclear energy Until 1963, the Los Alamos National Laboratory sent radioactive waste into a canyon that became so saturated in toxic waste that it was dubbed 'Acid Canyon,' said the report. The Guardian report said the study comes at a time when the US Department of Defense plans to increase production of plutonium pits, a core component of nuclear weapons, at Los Alamos. Meanwhile, Los Alamos was excluded from a defence bill that expanded funds for those exposed to the government’s radioactive waste. (With inputs from agencies)

This American nuclear site has as much plutonium levels as Chernobyl disaster area in Ukraine

Christopher Nolan's $1 billion-grossing Oppenheimer&nbsp;hasn't just lined the pockets of Hollywood studio executives -- it has also brought an unexpected windfall to the secretive community of Los Alamos. 
 
The movie, the clear frontrunner to win best picture at the Oscars on March 10, tells the story of the invention of the atomic bomb.

Much of the action takes place in Los Alamos, a town built around a top-secret lab that was created from scratch in New Mexico at the suggestion of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who had a lifelong passion for the surrounding mountains.

Since the film's release last July, tourists have been flocking to sites like the Oppenheimer House, and Fuller Lodge, where nuclear scientists held parties to celebrate their success in building the bomb.

Visitor numbers leapt by 68 per cent last year, town officials say.

"We started seeing a huge influx" last spring, even before the film hit theatres, said Kathy Anderson, a tour guide for the local historical society, which had to triple the number of daily tours. 
 
"If it does win Oscars, I think we're going to see a lot more interest."

But the success shrouds a complicated relationship that Los Alamos has with its past and with Oppenheimer, who is still widely referred to around town by his affectionate nickname "Oppie."

- 'Very complicated' -

On the one hand, the tourist boom could help raise the $2 million needed to restore the century-old home where the Oppenheimers lived, which is in dire need of repairs.

"Oppenheimer was renowned for his martinis and for being a very accommodating host. A lot of history happened just in these rooms," said Los Alamos National Laboratory historian Nic Lewis.

On the other hand, there is no escaping the destruction caused by the nuclear bombs forged in this town -- where 15,000 scientists and staff still work at the same high-security lab.

As the film shows, Oppenheimer himself became a vocal critic of nuclear proliferation during the Cold War. 
 
Oppenheimer even later confessed, "I am responsible for ruining a beautiful place," according to "American Prometheus," the book on which Nolan's film is based.

"We do recognize here that he was a person, who had flaws, who made mistakes," said Lewis.

"He was very complicated. He was very thoughtful. I think Nolan very accurately depicted that part of Oppenheimer."

Still, Nolan's decision to shoot many scenes in the very Los Alamos buildings where they occurred caused enormous excitement around town.

An ad in the local newspaper called for the lab's actual scientists to appear as extras.

Shane Fogerty, an astrophysicist and Nolan fan, ended up explaining nuclear fusion and the genesis of the Moon to stars Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr between takes.

"Chris (Nolan) would have to remind everyone, 'We're at work, quiet down, please. Let's go to the next take,'" said Fogerty.

It is an anecdote he frequently shares with the growing number of tourists he meets in town these days.

"It is harder to get a reservation at the few restaurants in town," he said.

Christopher Nolan's $1 billion-grossing Oppenheimer hasn't just lined the pockets of Hollywood studio executives -- it has also brought an unexpected windfall to the secretive community of Los Alamos.

Christopher Nolan's $1 billion-grossing Oppenheimer hasn't just lined the pockets of Hollywood studio executives -- it has also brought an unexpected windfall to the secretive community of Los Alamos. The movie, the clear frontrunner to win best picture at the Oscars on March 10, tells the story of the invention of the atomic bomb. Much of the action takes place in Los Alamos, a town built around a top-secret lab that was created from scratch in New Mexico at the suggestion of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who had a lifelong passion for the surrounding mountains. Since the film's release last July, tourists have been flocking to sites like the Oppenheimer House, and Fuller Lodge, where nuclear scientists held parties to celebrate their success in building the bomb. Visitor numbers leapt by 68 per cent last year, town officials say. "We started seeing a huge influx" last spring, even before the film hit theatres, said Kathy Anderson, a tour guide for the local historical society, which had to triple the number of daily tours. "If it does win Oscars, I think we're going to see a lot more interest." But the success shrouds a complicated relationship that Los Alamos has with its past and with Oppenheimer, who is still widely referred to around town by his affectionate nickname "Oppie." - 'Very complicated' - On the one hand, the tourist boom could help raise the $2 million needed to restore the century-old home where the Oppenheimers lived, which is in dire need of repairs. "Oppenheimer was renowned for his martinis and for being a very accommodating host. A lot of history happened just in these rooms," said Los Alamos National Laboratory historian Nic Lewis. On the other hand, there is no escaping the destruction caused by the nuclear bombs forged in this town -- where 15,000 scientists and staff still work at the same high-security lab. As the film shows, Oppenheimer himself became a vocal critic of nuclear proliferation during the Cold War. Oppenheimer even later confessed, "I am responsible for ruining a beautiful place," according to "American Prometheus," the book on which Nolan's film is based. "We do recognize here that he was a person, who had flaws, who made mistakes," said Lewis. "He was very complicated. He was very thoughtful. I think Nolan very accurately depicted that part of Oppenheimer." Still, Nolan's decision to shoot many scenes in the very Los Alamos buildings where they occurred caused enormous excitement around town. An ad in the local newspaper called for the lab's actual scientists to appear as extras. Shane Fogerty, an astrophysicist and Nolan fan, ended up explaining nuclear fusion and the genesis of the Moon to stars Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr between takes. "Chris (Nolan) would have to remind everyone, 'We're at work, quiet down, please. Let's go to the next take,'" said Fogerty. It is an anecdote he frequently shares with the growing number of tourists he meets in town these days. "It is harder to get a reservation at the few restaurants in town," he said.

Los Alamos registers big tourism spike over rising Oppenheimer fame

The US Forest Service's own prescribed burn started a sprawling 2022 wildfire that nearly reached Los Alamos, New Mexico, the agency acknowledged on Monday in a report published after a lengthy investigation.&nbsp;

The Cerro Pelado fire burned in dry, windy conditions across more than 60 square miles (155 square kilometres) and crept within a few miles of the city of Los Alamos and its companion US national security lab. As the fire approached, schools closed and evacuation bags were packed before the flames tapered off.

Investigators traced the wildfire to a burn of piles of forest debris commissioned by the Forest Service. The burn became a holdover fire, smouldering undetected under wet snow, with no signs of smoke or heat for months, said Southwestern Regional Forester Michiko Martin.&nbsp;

The revelation prompted immediate rebukes against the Forest Service by New Mexico political leaders, including Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. She said she was "outraged over the US Forest Service's negligence that caused this destruction".

Episodes of extremely hot and dry weather in recent years have triggered concerns about prescribed burns as techniques for clearing forest debris, concerns that Grisham echoed.&nbsp;

The federal government already has acknowledged that it started the largest wildfire in state history, which charged more than 530 square miles (1,373 square kilometres) of the Rocky Mountain foothills east of Santa Fe, New Mexico, destroying homes and livelihoods.&nbsp;

The Forest Service last spring halted all prescribed burn operations for 90 days while it conducted a review of procedures and policies. By the end of the moratorium, managers learned that they can't rely on past success, and must continuously learn and adapt to changing conditions, Forest Service Chief Randy Moore recently told New Mexico lawmakers.&nbsp;

Firefighters now monitor pile burns using handheld thermal devices and drones that can detect heat, Martin said Monday.&nbsp;

Examples of prescribed burns that escaped control include the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire that swept through residential areas of Los Alamos and across 12 square miles (31 square kilometres) of the laboratory —&nbsp;more than one-quarter of the campus. The fire destroyed more than 230 homes and 45 structures at the lab. In 2011, a larger and faster-moving fire burned the fringes of the lab.&nbsp;

In the spring of 2022, wildfires were propelled by ferocious winds across Arizona and New Mexico, combined with extreme drought and warm temperatures, casting a pall of smoke across the region.&nbsp;

US Sen. Martin Heinrich urged the Forest Service to be more nimble in its investigations and decisions.&nbsp;

"The warming climate is making our forests more vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires. That's a reality that our Forest Service can and must urgently respond to when deciding when and how to do prescribed burns,"&nbsp;he said in a statement.

"We cannot catch up to this reality if it takes nearly a year to even make the findings on the Cerro Pelado Fire public."&nbsp;

An initial probe into the origin of the Cerro Pelado fire was conducted by a wildland fire investigator from Washington state's Department of Natural Resources and pointed toward an ash pit from the earlier prescribed burn as the likely source, while ruling out other potential sources such as campfires and lightning. But it stopped short of a definitive conclusion.&nbsp;

The Forest Service commissioned a second investigation by its own special agents and concluded that the prescribed burn and its windblown embers were the cause.&nbsp;

The Biden administration is trying to confront worsening wildfires in the US West through a multi-billion dollar cleanup of forests choked with dead trees and undergrowth. Chainsaws, heavy machinery,&nbsp;and controlled burns, are major components of the effort, with Congress in the last two years approving more than USD 4 billion in new funding to prevent repeats of destructive infernos.&nbsp; 
 
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The US Forest Service's own prescribed burn started a sprawling 2022 wildfire that nearly reached Los Alamos, New Mexico, the agency acknowledged on Monday in a report published after a lengthy investigation.

The US Forest Service's own prescribed burn started a sprawling 2022 wildfire that nearly reached Los Alamos, New Mexico, the agency acknowledged on Monday in a report published after a lengthy investigation. The Cerro Pelado fire burned in dry, windy conditions across more than 60 square miles (155 square kilometres) and crept within a few miles of the city of Los Alamos and its companion US national security lab. As the fire approached, schools closed and evacuation bags were packed before the flames tapered off. Investigators traced the wildfire to a burn of piles of forest debris commissioned by the Forest Service. The burn became a holdover fire, smouldering undetected under wet snow, with no signs of smoke or heat for months, said Southwestern Regional Forester Michiko Martin. The revelation prompted immediate rebukes against the Forest Service by New Mexico political leaders, including Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. She said she was "outraged over the US Forest Service's negligence that caused this destruction". Episodes of extremely hot and dry weather in recent years have triggered concerns about prescribed burns as techniques for clearing forest debris, concerns that Grisham echoed. The federal government already has acknowledged that it started the largest wildfire in state history, which charged more than 530 square miles (1,373 square kilometres) of the Rocky Mountain foothills east of Santa Fe, New Mexico, destroying homes and livelihoods. The Forest Service last spring halted all prescribed burn operations for 90 days while it conducted a review of procedures and policies. By the end of the moratorium, managers learned that they can't rely on past success, and must continuously learn and adapt to changing conditions, Forest Service Chief Randy Moore recently told New Mexico lawmakers. Firefighters now monitor pile burns using handheld thermal devices and drones that can detect heat, Martin said Monday. Examples of prescribed burns that escaped control include the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire that swept through residential areas of Los Alamos and across 12 square miles (31 square kilometres) of the laboratory — more than one-quarter of the campus. The fire destroyed more than 230 homes and 45 structures at the lab. In 2011, a larger and faster-moving fire burned the fringes of the lab. In the spring of 2022, wildfires were propelled by ferocious winds across Arizona and New Mexico, combined with extreme drought and warm temperatures, casting a pall of smoke across the region. US Sen. Martin Heinrich urged the Forest Service to be more nimble in its investigations and decisions. "The warming climate is making our forests more vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires. That's a reality that our Forest Service can and must urgently respond to when deciding when and how to do prescribed burns," he said in a statement. "We cannot catch up to this reality if it takes nearly a year to even make the findings on the Cerro Pelado Fire public." An initial probe into the origin of the Cerro Pelado fire was conducted by a wildland fire investigator from Washington state's Department of Natural Resources and pointed toward an ash pit from the earlier prescribed burn as the likely source, while ruling out other potential sources such as campfires and lightning. But it stopped short of a definitive conclusion. The Forest Service commissioned a second investigation by its own special agents and concluded that the prescribed burn and its windblown embers were the cause. The Biden administration is trying to confront worsening wildfires in the US West through a multi-billion dollar cleanup of forests choked with dead trees and undergrowth. Chainsaws, heavy machinery, and controlled burns, are major components of the effort, with Congress in the last two years approving more than USD 4 billion in new funding to prevent repeats of destructive infernos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US Forest Service burn started wildfire that nearly reached Los Alamos, New Mexico

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This American nuclear site has as much plutonium levels as Chernobyl disaster area in Ukraine

Los Alamos registers big tourism spike over rising Oppenheimer fame

US Forest Service burn started wildfire that nearly reached Los Alamos, New Mexico