A two-lane road stretches into the distance. It's surrounded by brown dessert landscape on either side. In the background of the picture, a small plume of brown smoke rises into blue, cloudy skies.

Fire at Hanford nuclear reservation now 100 percent contained

By Courtney Flatt
A two-lane road stretches into the distance. It's surrounded by brown dessert landscape on either side. In the background of the picture, a small plume of brown smoke rises into blue, cloudy skies.
A fire burned an estimated 1,000 acres on the Hanford nuclear reservation this weekend. The fire is now 100 percent contained, according to a Department of Energy spokesperson. (Courtesy: Benton County WA Sheriff's Office Facebook page)

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Crews have contained a wildfire that sparked on the Hanford nuclear reservation in Eastern Washington this weekend.

Lightning started a wildfire this weekend in the central part of the Hanford nuclear reservation, burning about 1,000 acres.

The fire was first reported at 11:40 a.m. Sunday morning. Fire crews started small fires, called back burns, to help contain the fire. 

A Department of Energy spokesperson said the fire is now 100 percent contained and no facilities were near the fire. Fire crews will continue to monitor the area.

From World War II through the Cold War, reactors at Hanford produced plutonium for nuclear weapons. Now, Hanford is one of the most contaminated nuclear sites in the world. Cleanup efforts are underway for the millions of gallons of radioactive waste in underground tanks and other facilities.

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