Unexploded munitions, in the form of BLU63 bomblets from a military cluster bomb, were discovered close to Highway 395 in Doyle earlier this month by a fire crew from the Antelope Camp who were conducting fire abatement in the area. After the explosives were discovered the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office contacted a demolitions team from the Fallon Naval Air Station who responded and disposed of the dangerous devices.
The BLU63 is a bomblet typically contained in a cluster bomb device that distributes multiple BLU63s. The BLU63 itself is a small round device about the size of a baseball. Navy explosives experts described the BLU23s as highly explosive and volatile, if tampered with or moved. Navy EOD’s standard procedure is to destroy these sub munitions in place and not move them.
On October 8th, through follow up investigation, the Sheriff’s Office discovered the potential of more sub munitions in the same area. Deputies and Navy EOD personnel returned to the initial scene and located two more BLU63 bomblets. Several local fire agencies, Lassen County OES, California Highway Patrol, and Caltrans all responded to the area.
Because the BLU63s were located very near Hwy 395 CHP and Caltrans temporarily closed the highway while the Navy EOD team destroyed munitions.
Last Saturday the Sheriff’s Office, OES Coordinator and the Lassen County Search & Rescue Team returned to the Doyle area to conduct a more detailed search for additional bomblets. The all-volunteer search and rescue team, accompanied by Sheriff’s personnel, conducted a ground search in the area. The search covered more than 50 acres and no other sub munitions were found during the final search.
“Unexploded military ordinance is extremely dangerous,” points out Sheriff Dean Growdon “It should never be tampered with or moved. If citizens encounter unexploded ordinance, they should report it immediately to local law enforcement.”
Growdon thanked the local, state and federal public safety partners who assisted with the safe destruction of the unexploded ordinance, and the Lassen County Search and Rescue Team whose volunteers provided necessary personnel, mapping and other technology to help conduct a detailed public safety sweep of the area.
