The Cerro Pelado wildfire that started nearly a month ago in northern New Mexico was more than 70% contained, making it safe for employees who had been telecommuting to come back to work, the lab said.
Employees who had been working remotely were cleared to return to work inside the fence on Tuesday, according to the lab’s press release. A website maintained by a collaboration of federal and New Mexico state agencies said Wednesday that the fire, discovered April 22, was 74% contained.
All but mission-essential lab employees switched to telework as of May 9, when authorities moved Los Alamos county to the “set” phase of the “ready, set, go” wildfire survival guide. “Set,” under these guidelines, means that people living in close proximity to the fire should be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
Despite the end of the 10-day telework period — Los Alamos ended its years-long, COVID-19 maximum telework posture only a few days before the fire forced a broad return to remote work — the lab warned in its press release that conditions throughout the region remain dry and that forecasts of higher winds mean the Cerro Pelado blaze could quickly fan up again.
“If you haven’t already, make sure to have a ‘go bag’ packed, create an evacuation plan, and sign up for Los Alamos CodeRED by texting ‘LOSALAMOS’ to 99411,” the lab wrote in its latest release about the fire.
