Single Publication

Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires
June 14, 2022, Daily Update, 08:00 AM  

Acres: 325,340 | Containment: 70% | Total personnel: 2,252 | 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: A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM, expect to see increased smoke as the fire remains active today, including in unburned islands of fuel in the interior. Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 assumed command of the South Zone. Suppression repair work in the North and South Zones is progressing, and crews are working to construct water bars on steep slopes to minimize resource damage when the monsoons arrive. 
 
Operations: 

North Zone (SWIMT1): Yesterday, as expected there was an increase in interior pockets of fuel burning out during the day with the increased winds and atmospheric instability. Crews continued to monitor along the western flank of the fire while work on the shaded fuel breaks progressed. Suppression repair work continued in the Chacon area, with firefighters working south down NM Highway 121 along the fire perimeter. Firefighters will continue with suppression repair work along Hwy 434 area as well.  With support from aviation, fire managers will continue to monitor the western edge of the fire, ensuring that the containment lines continue to hold strong. Work will continue with the shaded fuel breaks to the north and northwest of the fire.  

South Zone (SWIMT2): Fire activity continues to be high with hot, dry conditions and strong southwest winds creating extremely visible smoke, specifically from the Pecos Wilderness. Communities on the eastern side of the fire will see larger amounts of smoke in comparison to the last several days. Active areas of the fire from Tuesday are anticipated to remain active, primarily around the Rio Mora drainage and the Trampas fire burn scar. The fire moved into Rio Mora drainage Tuesday and continues to move towards Hamilton Mesa within the Pecos Wilderness. Smoke will be visible as areas of unburned fuel within the perimeter dry due to the record setting high temperatures and low relative humidity. Crews focused on repair work yesterday along the Skyline Trail, to include chipping and mop up efforts. Today, crews will focus efforts on the Skyline Trail, cleaning up downed debris and dozer line used as containment line earlier in the fire. Firefighters along Hamilton Mesa will continue to monitor and assess for potential strategic burning operations. There are no changes to road closures or evacuation orders in the fire area. 

Evacuations: To view real-time evacuation information around the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires, visit: https://tinyurl.com/HermitsPeak for the evacuation map. The Ready, Set, Go evacuation guide is available in English and Spanish here: https://tinyurl.com/RSGNM. For disaster assistance resources, visit: https://www.nmdhsem.org/2022-wildfires/.  

Weather: A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Tuesday with very low relative humidity, gusty westerly winds and an unstable hot airmass bringing critical fire weather conditions to the fire area. Minimum relative humidity values will drop down into the single digits and low teens along with wind gusts up to 40 mph. An isolated dry thunderstorm cannot be ruled out due to high level moisture and instability moving across the fire area, but the threat is low. 
 
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 |