Army to continue controlled burn
Weather permitting, the Army is aiming to complete clearing a Schofield Barracks training range today by burning weeds and shrubbery.
The Army started the "prescribed burn" Tuesday and says there are only 80 of the 1,100 acres left that it wants to clear of an impact area near the training range known as McCarthy Flats north of Kolekole and Trimble roads.
Controlled fires have been used regularly during the past few years at the same Schofield Barracks training range without any problems, officials said.
The "prescribed burn is part of the U.S. Army Hawaii's ongoing plan to manage and protect range areas, decrease the danger of wildfires and survey for depleted uranium," an Army statement said.
Depleted uranium, a byproduct of radioactive enriched uranium, has been used by the U.S. military in armor-piercing munitions.
Two years ago a contractor discovered 15 tail assemblies from spotting rounds made with depleted uranium while clearing an area that will be used by the Stryker combat vehicles. However, the Army has said the recovered depleted uranium had low-level radioactivity and did not pose a health threat. Army officials said remnants were from training rounds used in a now-obsolete weapon system.
The results of test samples collected by air monitors have been sent to an independent lab and will not be available for about three weeks.