Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires
May 24, 2022, Daily Update, 08:00AM
Acres: 311,148 | Containment: 41% | Total personnel: 2957
Start Date: Hermits Peak: April 6, 2022; Calf Canyon: April 19, 2022
Cause: Hermits Peak: Spot fires from prescribed burn; Calf Canyon: Under investigation
Location: Located near Gallinas Canyon
Fuels: Heavy mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, brush, and grass
Highlights: A slight reduction in acreage is due to better mapping and interpretation of infrared imagery. Weather has been favorable for aircraft to be utilized around the fire by cooling areas with intense heat and by aiding firefighters as they continue to make good progress on containment lines. After Fire Flooding and Recovery Resources: After Wildfire New Mexico guide https://www.afterwildfirenm.org/ ; Hermits Peak & Calf Canyon Fire Burned Area Emergency Response information https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8104/. Residents of San Miguel, Mora, Taos, Colfax and Santa Fe Counties should remain on high alert for changes to evacuation statuses and road closures. Operations:
West Zone (SWAIMT1): Aided by favorable weather, fire crews made excellent progress securing lines around the northwest corner of the fire yesterday. Hotshot crews continue to remove fuel and deepen containment lines along the northern edge of the fire near Martinez Pond, utilizing aircraft to cool areas of more intense heat. Work continues around structures in the HWY 121 corridor near Chacon. Structure protection resources are active along HWY 518 near Las Mochas, Rock Wall and Sipapu and in the 73 corridor and containment line reinforcement continues in anticipation of facing the test of critical fire weather this weekend.
East Zone (CAIIMT2): Yesterday, firefighters from the East and West Zone worked together to build containment line along the northern edge of the fire. Prep work continued around structures north and east of the fire perimeter, making those communities more defensible during a wildland fire incident. Today, fire crews will continue clearing vegetation along the ridgeline (near the Taos/Colfax County line) towards Angel Fire, creating a shaded fuel break. Fire suppression repair work has also begun on the East Zone, which works to minimize potential soil erosion and other impacts resulting from fire suppression activities.
South Zone (CAIIMT5): The priority continues to be the southwest perimeter of the fire from Apache Canyon north to Bull Creek. Crews continue to improve containment lines along the 203 Road. Yesterday, gusty winds carried hot embers across the road, starting several small spot fires that were quickly extinguished. A flight over the Pecos Wilderness showed that the fire had not moved much westward. Crews will be shifted to the north once the southwest corner is secured.
Evacuations: go to tinyurl.com/HermitsPeak for the evacuation map and follow: San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office: facebook.com/smcso.nm
Mora County Sheriff’s Office: facebook.com/moracountysheriffoffice
Taos County Sheriff’s Office: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064642843163
Colfax County Sheriff’s Office: facebook.com/Colfax-County-Sheriffs-Office-New-Mexico-971817152850308
Weather: Colder temperatures will hold firm across the region, with highs struggling into the 50s. Some shower activity is expected during the day, with isolated thunderstorms still expected.
Closures and Restrictions: Stage 3 forest-wide closures are in effect for the Carson and Santa Fe National Forests, public access is prohibited and the restrictions and closure orders can be found on the Carson NF website and Santa Fe NF website. BLM New Mexico Fire Restrictions https://tinyurl.com/BLMNewMexico.
Smoke: An interactive smoke map at fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.
Fire Information: Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Phone: 505-356-2636 | Email: 2022.hermitspeak@firenet.gov
Online: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8069/ | https://www.facebook.com/CalfCanyonHermitsPeak| nmfireinfo.com |tinyurl.com/HermitsYouTube | Santa Fe NF |
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