INL Fire Burns 50,000 Acres; 100 Percent Contained

UPDATE: The T-17 fire is now 100 percent contained and has burned 50,000 acres, according to Idaho National Laboratory emergency officials. Crews are now monitoring residual hot spots.

A 19-mile section of Idaho 33 between its junction with Idaho 22 and Idaho 28 has reopened, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.

INL officials said normal work has resumed at all facilities at the site, including at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Energy Center (INTEC) and the Materials and Fuels Complex.

Thursday night, all non-essential employees at the Materials and Fuels Complex were evacuated as a precaution while fire crews took preventative measures to try and protect the facility.

Multiple bulldozer crews are fighting the fire and five air tankers and several single engine planes are on standby status, they report.

The fire started Thursday near mile marker 9 of Lincoln Road inside the sites borders. They have not said how it started.

The flames had spread to nearly four miles from mile marker 43 on Highway 33, officials reported Thursday night.

This is the second fire at the INL site this week. There is no known radiological hazard to the public at this time.

For a map of the location, click here.