Single Publication

Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires
June 4, 2022, Daily Update, 08:00 AM

Acres: 317,138 | Containment: 62% | Total personnel: 2,891 |
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: Expect to see more smoke 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 produce additional smoke as well. 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): Firefighters remained focused on the northwest flank of the fire yesterday with Hotshot crews continuing to patrol for hot spots and secure the perimeter from Angostura to Ripley Point and south to Serpent Lake. Heavy equipment has been reinforcing the dozer line from west of Ripley Point near Peñasco, north to the monastery on NM Highway 518. Wildland Fire Modules (Modules) are continuing to scout for opportunities to connect that dozer line around Peñasco down to the Rio de las Trampas and the Pecos Wilderness to tie into the South Zone operations. While firefighters have contained more of the fire perimeter along the NM Highway 121 corridor, crews continue to find and work isolated pockets of heat, and that work will continue today. Firefighters will also be continuing suppression repair on the southeast corner of the north zone of the fire. Crews and heavy equipment will be working to repair dozer and hand line constructed during active suppression by breaking down dirt berms, naturalizing firelines and placing woody debris over the newly repaired lines to minimize erosion. Firefighters will also continue chipping small-diameter trees and branches to ensure that the large accumulation of roadside woody debris is eliminated.

South Zone (SWIMT2): Over 250 firefighters are working in the Pecos Wilderness. Yesterday they began strategic firing operations in a small segment of the Bear Creek drainage near Elk Mountain. This operation was successful as crews brought fire to check lines and held it. These operations will continue over the next week, in segments, to slow and stop the fire's spread. In anticipation of this work, firefighters are laying several miles of hose to pump and use water if needed and prepping lines from the Iron Gate Campground to Beatty's Cabin. From Beatty's Cabin north, crews are constructing a fireline where it will tie in with the line from the North Zone. In the NM Highway 63 corridor, structure protection groups continue to work to strengthen control lines and further fortify homes and infrastructure. To the south, around Upper and Lower Colonias and Barillas Peak, heavy equipment has been brought in to begin suppression repair work where it won't jeopardize containment lines. Crews continue to mop up and patrol this area. Two suppression repair groups are chipping and spreading slash, rehabbing dozer lines, and adding erosion control features on the east side moving south.

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:  Today will be warm and dry with forecasted wind speeds between 10-15 mph, gusting to 25 mph. Daytime temperatures will be in the low 70s to nearly 80 mph with relative humidity values between 5-18%.   

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 |