The Pantex plant, a key facility for the American defense industry responsible for the assembly of nuclear weapons, has been temporarily shut down in the United States. The cause was large-scale natural fires that engulfed the surroundings of the plant in Texas. The fire, fueled by strong winds and dry weather, has posed a major challenge for fire services trying to contain the blaze.

The Pantex plant, operated by the US Department of Energy and located 27 km northeast of Amarillo, covers an area of ​​65 square kilometers. This is where the production and modernization of the US nuclear arsenal takes place, including the latest version of the B61-12 nuclear bomb.

The authorities resorted to evacuating plant personnel and the population from the most threatened areas. As of now, the fires have not been brought under control and firefighters continue to fight the fire. It is noted that so far there have been no reports of casualties among the population.

The situation raises concerns not only in terms of the immediate threat to human life and health, but also from the point of view of the security of a strategically important facility of the American defense industry, because the Pantex plant plays a key role in maintaining the country's nuclear potential.