Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires June 5, 2022, Daily Update

Acres: 317,571 | Containment: 65% | Total personnel: 2,843 | Start Date: Hermits Peak: April 6, 2022; Calf Canyon: April 19, 2022 | Cause: Hermits Peak: Spot fires from prescribed burn; Calf Canyon: Holdover fire from prescribed pile burn | Location: Located near Gallinas Canyon | Fuels: Heavy mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, brush, and grass

Highlights: Smoke will be more visible around Spring Mountain and Bear Creek in the South Zone over the next several days. This is due to warmer temperatures, lower relative humidity, and higher winds. Strategic firing operations will also produce additional smoke. 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:

North Zone (PNW2): Crews continued their focus on the northern flank of the fire yesterday, patrolling and securing the perimeter. In coordination with South Zone fire managers, crews have been constructing contingency lines south of Peñasco. Today, work will continue on fireline construction to protect the communities of El Valle and Truchas. While these communities are still several miles from the fire area, fire managers will continue to find ways to protect values at risk until the fire is contained. North of the fire perimeter above NM Highway 518 and Chacon, firefighters have completed the contingency line from the Amole fire scar (2019), through the Sardinas Canyon (2018) and Luna (2020) fire scars. Additionally, work will continue on a strategic fuel break north of the contingency line and southwest of Angel Fire. Crews have been working on this fuel break for several days with over 60 pieces of equipment including feller bunchers, skidders, dozers and graders to remove trees and brush to create an area void of vegetation that could be used as a fireline in the future, if needed. Logs will be moving off the forest and log truck traffic will be traveling on NM Highway 434 up to NM Highway 64 through Angel Fire. The construction of this fuel break will continue for the next several days.

South Zone (SWIMT2): Extensive, coordinated work continues in the Pecos Wilderness, where the fire is most active. Firefighters are prepping and strengthening lines from the Iron Gate Campground to Beatty’s Cabin and north to the divide. Around Spring Mountain, strategic firing operations will continue in segments over the next several days to reduce fuels between the fire and the control lines. These operations aim to slow and stop fire progression in a strategic manner. Structure protection crews continue to strengthen control lines and remove flammable materials and fuels from around homes and infrastructure in the NM Highway 63 corridor. On the southwest, south, and east, crews continue to patrol and mop up any remaining heat. In addition, two suppression repair groups are conducting activities in these areas to return the environment to a more natural state. Repair work includes closing dozer lines, reseeding, chipping and spreading slash, and installing water bars and other features to prevent erosion.

Evacuations: Go to tinyurl.com/HermitsPeak for the evacuation map and follow:
San Miguel County Sheriff  facebook.com/smcso.nm
Mora County Sheriff  facebook.com/moracountysheriffoffice
Taos County Sheriff  facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064642843163
Colfax County Sheriff  facebook.com/Colfax-County-Sheriffs-Office-New-Mexico-971817152850308
Santa Fe County Sheriff https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064737934118

The Ready, Set, Go evacuation guide is available in English and Spanish here: https://tinyurl.com/RSGNM

Weather:  Warm and dry conditions will persist today with temperatures ranging from the mid-70s to low 80s with winds out of the west between 10-15 mph. The relative humidity is forecasted for 5-15% and dry conditions will minimize any chance of thunderstorms over the fire area.

Closures and Restrictions: All National Forests in New Mexico have closures or restrictions in place due to extreme fire danger. To learn more about these closures and restrictions, visit: https://tinyurl.com/bdy5y99r. Information related to fire restrictions across public and private land can be found at: https://nmfireinfo.com/fire-restrictions/.

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/.

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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