Single Publication

Acres: 303,341| Containment: 34% | Total personnel: 2,169

Start Date: Hermits Peak: April 6, 2022; Calf Canyon: April 19, 2022 | Cause: Hermits Peak: Spot fires from prescribed burn; Calf Canyon: Under investigation | Location: Located near Gallinas Canyon

Fuels: Heavy mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, brush, and grass
Highlights: Today there is a Red Flag Warning in effect for the fire area. The Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires have been divided into three zones: East Zone, West Zone, and South Zone. The West Zone, which includes Taos County, and Mora County west of the NM Highway 434 corridor to the San Miguel County Line, is under the command of Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 (SWAIMT1). California Interagency Incident Management Team 2 (CAIIMT2) has taken command of the East Zone of the fire which includes the area of Colfax County and Mora County east of the 434 corridor, south to the San Miguel County line. Southwest Area Incident Management Team 3 (SWAIMT3) is in command of the South Zone, which consists of the fire area within San Miguel County. Residents of San Miguel, Mora, Taos, and Colfax Counties should remain on high alert for changes to evacuation statuses and road closures. Stage 3 forest-wide closures for the Santa Fe and Carson National Forest goes into effect at 8 a.m. today.   Operations:West Zone (SWAIMT1):  Six scoopers, 7 helicopters and multiple airtankers were all engaged in the west zone yesterday. Actions were taken near Angostura to keep fire south of NM Hwy 518 and to keep fire from spreading west towards Jicarita Peak. Direct fireline was constructed with dozers and hand crews along the fire edge north of NM Hwy 518 towards the Luna fire scar. In the Chacon valley, crews continued with the protection of private infrastructure in this area.  Today’s challenge will be to keep fire west of NM Hwy 518 during the red flag conditions. Fire crews will continue with structure protection along the NM Hwy 518 west and contingency lines in La Junta Canyon and Pot Creek.East Zone (CAIIMT2):  Firefighters constructed containment lines from Guadalupita north to Sierra Bonita. Crews continued securing control lines from the Black Lake area down to Sierra Bonita, with continued evaluation for structure protection. Securing the fire’s edge near Guadalupita is of high importance, so ground and air resources focused on reinforcing containment line in the area. Firefighters completed dozer line connecting the northern tip of the fire into the 2020 Luna Fire burn scar. Planning continued north of the fire area, with equipment working to protect structures in and around Angel Fire. Today, firefighters will build on the work done yesterday in the Guadalupita area, and direct line construction (using dozers and hand crews) will continue throughout the East Zone. Contingency line construction and planning remains an important piece of today’s efforts to ensure the East Zone is prepared for the predicted increase in fire weather conditions.South Zone (SWAIMT3): Fire movement in the South Zone yesterday was minimal. The zone’s entire eastern perimeter remains dormant and has held through many extreme wind events. Firefighters there remain patrolling, conducting suppression repair, and recovering structure protection equipment. Southern and Western perimeter firefighters are working directly at the fire line while also improving indirect lines for fall back contingencies. Three structure protection groups continue working in the Pecos River corridor area. Fire remains in the Bear Creek drainage in the Pecos Wilderness. Most South Zone evacuations have been downgraded and those areas repopulated. Evacuations: go to tinyurl.com/HermitsPeak for the evacuation map and follow:San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office: facebook.com/smcso.nmMora County Sheriff’s Office: facebook.com/moracountysheriffofficeTaos County Sheriff’s Office: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064642843163Colfax County Sheriff’s Office: facebook.com/Colfax-County-Sheriffs-Office-New-Mexico-971817152850308 Weather: A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 12:00 to 8:00 PM today for hot, dry, and windy conditions. West winds 15-20, gusting to 35 MPH. Max temperatures will be 70s to lower 80s. Minimum relative humidities will be 6-11%. Restrictions: Carson National Forest, Camino Real Ranger District closure order and map: fs.usda.gov/alerts/carson/alerts-notices. Santa Fe National Forest Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District closure order and map: fs.usda.gov/detail/santafe/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprd3802009. BLM New Mexico Fire Restrictions https://tinyurl.com/BLMNewMexico. Smoke: An interactive smoke map at fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions. Fire Information: Fire Information Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Phone: 505-356-2636 | Email: 2022.hermitspeak@firenet.govOnline: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8069/ | facebook.com/CalfCanyonHermitsPeak | nmfireinfo.com |tinyurl.com/HermitsYouTube