New Mexico
Former top US nuclear weapons official dead after car crash in New Mexico
A former top official in U.S. nuclear weapons research at Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos national laboratories has died from injuries after an automobile crash in New Mexico, authorities said. He was 69.
Charles McMillan, an experimental physicist, spent nearly 23 years in various positions at Livermore in California and about 18 years at Los Alamos, where he was director for six years before retiring in 2017.
He died at a hospital after a two-vehicle crash early Friday on a stretch of road known as Main Hill, not far from the laboratory, police and the current lab director said.
“On behalf of the entire Laboratory, I would like to express deepest sympathies to the McMillan family and to the many current and former employees who worked closely with Charlie and knew him well,” lab Director Thom Mason said in a statement reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican.
Michael Drake, president of the University of California system, issued a statement calling McMillan “an extraordinary leader, scientist and human being who made far-reaching contributions to science and technology in service to national security and the greater good.”
The Livermore laboratory, east of San Francisco, was established as a university offshoot in 1952 and is now operated by the federal government. It maintains a close relationship with campuses and Drake’s office.
McMillan joined Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2006 after his friend and mentor, Michael Anastasio, became director. McMillan served as the principal associate director for weapons programs before becoming director in 2011, the New Mexican reported.
He oversaw the lab during expansion and safety incidents, including a 2014 radiation leak at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico attributed to a waste drum that was improperly packaged at the lab. The National Nuclear Security Administration found in 2015 that the lab violated health and safety rules and docked it more than $10 million in performance awards.
Mason pointed to McMillan’s work to develop a vaccine for HIV and new modeling to better understand climate change.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico credited McMillan with “invaluable contributions to our state, to science, and to our national security” and cited his work on supercomputing and artificial intelligence.
Nella Domenici, Heinrich’s Republican challenger for U.S. Senate, called McMillan’s death “a great loss to the scientific community and his family.”
Los Alamos police and fire officials said three people were treated for injuries and McMillan and a 22-year-old woman were hospitalized after the crash, which occurred about 5 a.m. The cause was being investigated.
ESPAÑOLA, N.M. (KRQE) – Residents in the area of the Riverside Fire in Española got a better look at the aftermath as the sun came out Saturday morning. Española resident Estevan Lucero is grieving the mobile home he grew up in. It’s one of four structures lost due to the riverside fire. His childhood home was burned, and just missed his family’s primary house on their property. “It’s awful to see all this black all around, it’s scary, it’s scary to see that it got this close,” said Lucero.
The large fire erupted Friday night in Espanola behind the Santa Claran hotel and Casino up to Fairview Lane. Some Espanola residents said that the experience was terrifying. “It’s one of the bigger fires I’ve seen in this area, so it was intense,” said Ronald Gallegos.
Meanwhile, crews have been battling to keep flames contained, but there is no reason for how it started. The fire is currently under investigation. It did spread very quickly. Initially, firefighters did think it was approximately 100 acres based on the nighttime and not getting that great visual effect,” said Española Mayor Dennis Tim Salazar.
Evacuations have been lifted for all residents, but the work will continue. “There’s several hot spots, and as mentioned, we’re really concerned about the winds, so we just want to make sure to focus on getting the job done,” said Mayor Salazar.
Several firefighters have come to pitch in. A total of 19 fire engines are assisting from federal, city, and county levels.
Welcome to the weekend!
If you are heading out the door this morning, chilly temperatures have settled into sections of west and northwest New Mexico. Temperatures are ranging from the 30’s, in the northwest, to the 60’s in the southeast. Today’s high temperature forecast will have near seasonable temperatures throughout the state, with Albuquerque expected to reach the 70s once again. The rest of the Land of Enchantment can anticipate a spread of high temperatures from the 60s to the upper 80s. Similar to most of this week, Saturday will also bring gusty winds. Gusty westerly winds will range from 25-45 mph before stronger winds return on Sunday.
Our upper-level winds will strengthen as the jet stream glides over the state. Those stronger winds above will bring high winds to sections of New Mexico. Wind gusts along the central mountain chain could reach 50-60 mph or more on Sunday afternoon. The National Weather Service (NWS) will issue High Wind Watches and Wind Advisories for gusts that could reach 50 and 60 mph. Those warnings will be for several communities along the central mountain chain, Estancia Valley, sections of Guadalupe/Lincoln counties, and southwest New Mexico.
In true New Mexico fashion fire danger will also accompany the strong winds this weekend. The NWS will issue Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches both days for fires that can easily start and spread underneath these weather conditions. Most of these will be for eastern and southern New Mexico. Fire Weather Watches also extend through central and western New Mexico for tomorrow. Precipitation chances are also expected to return this weekend.
Wet and dry storms are possible on Sunday in sections of west, central and northwest New Mexico. Aside from sprinkles to light rain, lighting would be the concern to spark new wildfires. Mountain snow is also forecasted with this push of moisture Saturday night through Sunday. A dusting to a few inches is possible in the peaks of the northern mountains, while the peaks in the San Juans, in southwest Colorado, could pick up 6-12 inches. After Sunday breezy winds are still forecasted on Monday throughout New Mexico before a wetter pattern emerges later next week. Have a great Saturday!
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