Calf Canyon and Hermit’s Peak Fires
April 27, 2022, Daily Update, 09:00AM
Acres: 61,470 acresContainment: 20% Start Date: April 19, 2022Cause: Under investigationTotal personnel: 910 Location: Located near Gallinas CanyonFuels: Mixed conifer Highlights: Firefighters made excellent progress on the fire yesterday, securing lines in anticipation of high winds and elevated temperatures that have been predicted for later this week. Loss and damage assessments continue. Powerlines to some areas around the fire perimeter have been restored, more lines will be energized as soon as it is determined safe to do so. Evacuation and road closures remain in place, but can change quickly with the forecasted winds, please watch for updates. Please respect all closures and allow firefighting resources to work safely. Firefighter and public safety will continue to be the number one priority. Operations: Aggressive firefighting efforts were deployed across the fire area yesterday, capitalizing on another day of favorable weather conditions. Dozer line construction is underway on several areas of the fire, as well as the utilization of roads for established holding points and hand line construction through rough terrain that may be inaccessible to heavy equipment. Crews worked around the clock to secure lines on the perimeter of the fire in anticipation of high winds later this week. Aircraft continued water delivery to the fire area, assisting crews on the ground in their progress. In addition to four scooper planes, six “type 1” helicopters are part of the aerial assault. These ships are larger and able to fly through stronger winds than a lighter helicopter can withstand. Fire resources work with a goal to hold the fire within its current footprint. The structure group of resources is assigned to improve protection measures in unburned areas around homes and buildings. Resources assigned to Division Bravo/Charlie are focused on the protection of structures in the El Porvenir area and the Gallinas watershed. Today, firefighters will continue efforts to reinforce defensible lines that can stand the test of strong winds expected later this week. Evacuations: Evacuations levels and road closures determined by the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office and Mora County Sheriff’s Office remain in place today. Evacuation status, repopulation and road closures may change quickly, so please follow San Miguel County and Mora County Sheriff’s Facebook pages for the latest updates at https://www.facebook.com/smcso.nm and https://www.facebook.com/moracountysheriffoffice. Weather: Shifting winds with unpredictable directions, as well as thunderstorms with the potential for dry lightning will call for firefighters to pay close attention to changing conditions and fire behavior throughout the day. These shifts will also create issues as smoke impedes visibility in different areas of the fire throughout the day. Restrictions: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued a closure order and has implemented Stage II fire restrictions to protect public health and safety during fire operations on the Calf Canyon Fire. Full closure order and map are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home. The temporary flight restriction (TFR) in place over the area was expanded to include the Gallinas Canyon area. The TFR also covers unmanned aircraft, or drones. If a private drone intrudes into the fire area, it will require a pause in all air operations and impede firefighting progress, putting firefighters at greater risk.
Smoke: Smoke impacts should be reduced in the Las Vegas area due to shifting winds. Fire activity around Rociada, Pendaries, and Sapello continue today producing unhealthy air quality conditions throughout the day as temperatures rise and winds increase. Smoke will reduce visibility along portions of NM-518 north of Sapello. Drive carefully and turn on your headlights for safety. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions. Future Fire Information: The Calf Canyon Fire and Hermit Peak Fire Information office hours are 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM. The phone number for fire information is 505-356-2636. The email address is 2022.calfcanyon@firenet.gov. Future fire information will continue to be posted on Inciweb, the SFNF Facebook and Twitter, SFNF website, and New Mexico Fire Information website
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