09-08-10 Fires threaten Russian secret nuclear bombs factory

A state of emergency has been proclaimed in connection with a complicated situation associated with fire risk in the closed administrative-territorial entity (CATE) in Ozersk,Chelyabinsk region, where PA "Mayak", one of Russia's largest centers for processing and storage of spent nuclear fuel,is located,the district administration said."A state of emergency was proclaimed by a decision of the head of administration of the territory of the Ozersk city district in forest and park areas due to a complicated situation associated with a fire risk.Entrance to the forests and making camp- fires are forbidden until further notice,according to this document",the message says.The managers of companies and organizations are required to take urgent steps to bring their territories into a fire-safe condition.It is planned that on Tuesday,the head of administration Viktor Trofimchuk will hold an emergency meeting,where he plans to coordinate efforts of all the services involved in solving this problem.There ten CATEs in total under control of the Nuclear Energy State Corporation (Rosatom)in Russia:Sarov (Nizhny Novgorod Region),Lesnoy and Novouralsk (Sverdlovsk region),Zarechnyi(Penza region),Ozersk,Snezhinsk and Trekhgorniy (Chelyabinsk region),Seversk (Tomsk region),Zheleznogorsk and Zelenogorsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory).It is to be mentioned that previously there were reported of threats to nuclear facilities in other areas of Russia.The authorities of Russia claim that the fires around nuclear center are localized and now the situation is presumably under control.It is to be reminded that Russia always lies in such matters.Meanwhile,according to Russian media outlets on August 8,a huge forest fire broke out 15 kilometers from the secret city of Snezhinsk in the Chelyabinsk region,where the "Russian Federal Nuclear Center - All-Russian Research Institute of Technical Physics", produces nuclear bombs.Russian mass media outlets,due to military and political censorship,were allowed to report only that forest litter in the area of 7 hectares was burning.Fire threatens settlements and industrial enterprises.Extinguishing a forest fire is impossible,Russians complain.Heavy equipment sticks in remote and swampy areas.And with a backpack fire extinguisher,you cannot extinguish much.Sunday evening,Chelyabinsk media outlets reported that 2 hectares of forest have already been burnt near the secret nuclear bombs factory and that authorities unsuccessfully tried to extinguish the fire.