Heavy Rains Continue to Delay Suppression Repair Activities and Cause Flooding

August 10, 2022 by SFNFPIO 0 Comments

August 10, 2022 – Calf Canyon Fire Update

Acres: 341,735| Containment: 98% | Total personnel: 395|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: 12 miles NW of Las Vegas, NM | Fuels: Heavy mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, brush, and grass

Highlights: The National Weather Service continues to issue Flash Flood Watch’s/Warnings/Advisory’s for the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon burn scar for Mora, San Miguel and Taos Counties caused by excessive rainfall and saturated soils. Roads have been washed out, causing closures and delays, while creeks, washes, and rivers overflow. We would like to remind residents of Mora and San Miguel Counties to please stay up to date on current road conditions and predicted weather. For current road conditions visit – https://nmroads.com/ for current weather visit – www.weather.gov/abq

Operations: Suppression repair efforts which consist of chipping, fence repair, naturalization of control lines, removal of hazard trees and soil stabilization continues as weather allows across the fire area. Near Chacon, crews and equipment continue chipping and grading activities on private property while other resources assist Mora and San Miguel Counties with emergency cleanup operations and road closures as flooding continues to damage roadways.

Closures and Restrictions: The Santa Fe National Forest has reduced the fire closure area opening additional access to the Pecos Wilderness. To view the new closure order and map visit – Santa Fe – Alerts & Notices (usda.gov). Monsoon weather and completion of suppression repair activities play a part in the decision to lift closure orders and the safety of the public, firefighter, and incident support personnel is always our first priority.

Weather: Position of the monsoonal high pressure will lead to a continued decrease in storm coverage today. Initiation is expected over the high terrain in the late morning and early afternoon. Steering flow will allow the storms to be pulled west. Storms will still be plagued by slow and erratic motion. This will continue the threat of locally heavy rainfall and subsequent flash flooding.

Fire Flooding and Recovery Resources: 2022 Wildland Fire Resources Hotline: https://www.nmdhsem.org/2022- wildfires/| After Wildfire New Mexico Guide: https://www.afterwildfirenm.org/ | Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires Burned Area Emergency Response: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8104/

For questions or concerns related to flooding, please call the New Mexico State Emergency Operations Center at 1-800-432-2080. For federal disaster with fire or flood damage to your primary residence, please call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.

Private Land Suppression Repair Survey (English and Spanish): https://www.tinyurl.com/suppressionrepair. Call 720-417-8048 for assistance in English, or 505-398-3889 for assistance in Spanish.

Fire Information: Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Phone: 505-356-2636| Email: 2022.hermitspeak@firenet.gov