Information Officers Provide Assistance in Mora

August 19, 2022 by SFNFPAO 0 Comments

August 19, 2022 – Calf Canyon Fire Update

Acres: 341,735| Containment: 98% | Total personnel: 470|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: Bilingual Public Information Officers with the Southwest Incident Management Team (SWIMT) will be staged at the Mora Volunteer Fire Department, daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, starting on Friday, August 19, 2022. They will be onsite to help community members fill out Suppression Repair Forms, verify that forms are complete and entered in the queue. Information for emergency help and services related to post-fire flooding will also be provided. If forecasted weather is calling for flash flooding which could cause impacts to roadways making it unsafe for travel, personnel will not be present. We suggest you call the Fire Information Phone line at 505-356-2636 to verify staffing on days when flooding is predicted. Starting next week, the SWIMT will reduce Calf Canyon Fire updates to one per week, on Mondays as it transitions command to incoming SWIMT Team 4 led by Incident Commander Aaron Hulburd.

Operations: Focusing in Rociada, Gascon, Holman, Cleveland, Mora and Guadalupita, heavy equipment is assisting in the clearing of roadways caused by flooding. Crews are diligently working to repair fences, dozer lines, remove hazard trees and seeding as necessary on private property affected by the fire. Repair work has been completed on the Skyline Trail near Bear Mountain and the Elk Mountain line. We ask the community to please be patient as we continue to work when weather conditions allow. We are trying to avoid working on saturated soils as it can cause additional damage.

Closures: 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, firefighter and public safety, and completion of suppression repair activities play a part in the decision to revise or lift closure orders.

Weather: As drier air moves into the region, coverage of storms will remain isolated with a low risk of flash flooding. By the weekend, a weather disturbance will bring significant moisture with numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms. With the renewed threat of widespread showers and storms, the risk of flash flooding will be high. Thereafter, expect a gradual decrease in daily showers and thunderstorms.

Fire Flooding and Recovery Resources: 2022 Wildland Fires 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