Firestorm hits Los Alamos
High winds have spread the fire towards Los Alamos
A forest fire is spreading through Los Alamos in New Mexico, where the United States government has its main nuclear weapons laboratory.
At least 100 houses have been destroyed and 18,000 residents evacuated as high winds fan the flames.
The nuclear facilities at the site where the world's first atom bomb was built have been shut down. Nuclear materials are protected, though there was a brief fire at one of the laboratory buildings.
"This is a terrible situation," said New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. "Los Alamos is in the path of this fire, a huge fire."
Aeroplanes are dropping slurry onto the flames
There is to be an inquiry into why the National Park Service started the fire, intending to clear brushwood from a Bandelier National Monument.
"I love the National Park Service for starting this; they're a bunch of idiots," said Neil Stoddard, one resident forced to evacuate. "I think better judgement could have been used.
"Getting kicked out of my home town is not something I wanted to do today."
Another evacuee, Al Jaffee, said: "I just keep a sleeping bag in the truck. Other than that, it's just the clothes on my back."
Bandelier National Monument Superintendent Roy Weaver said people had a right to feel "frustrated and angry".
"I wish we could make it right somehow," he said. "My staff just feels terrible, and myself."
Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt is expected to visit the area on Thursday to help co-ordinate relief efforts.
Wind fans flames
Aerial television footage has shown burning homes and forest. Thick clouds of smoke are rising into the sky and are being blown hundreds of kilometres.
Los Alamos Fire Department spokesman Jim Danneskiold said high winds had made the fire worse, with forecasts of up to 100km/h (60mph).
The fire has destroyed more than 7,200 hectares of forest
"Houses and buildings at the extreme west of the town are starting to go on fire," he said.
The fire has engulfed nearly 7,200 hectares (18,000 acres) of forest, the US Forest Service has announced.
About 700 fire fighters plus units of the National Guards are tackling the blaze on the ground helped by helicopters and aeroplanes.
A spokesman for the nuclear plant said: "Nuclear materials are stored in concrete bunkers at the plutonium facility.
"They have been built to withstand all kind of potential destruction, including a plane crash, bombings and, of course, a fire."
Another forest fire broke out on 10 May, 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Albuquerque, but fire fighters there have brought the blaze under control after it destroyed 2,300 hectares (5,700 acres).
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