Could New Mexico's wildfire cause a nuclear catastrophe?

Fire crews are fighting off approaching flames in an effort to protect one of the nation's preeminent nuclear labs

The sun sets Wednesday as smoke from the Las Conchas wildfire envelopes the hills near the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Eric Draper)

A fire blazing across New Mexico is lapping at the edges of a large nuclear lab, raising fears about the safety of the nuclear waste stored within. The fire, which broke out on Sunday, has scorched more than 100 square miles of the Santa Fe National Forest, and is creeping ever closer to the edge of the nuclear plant's property. Is this as dangerous as it sounds? Here, a brief guide:

Why is this lab so important?

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