Single Publication

Acres: 7,581 acres

Start Date:  April 6, 2022

Cause: Multiple spot fires spread beyond the prescribed fire project boundary

Containment: 81%

Total personnel: 567

Location: Approx. 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, NM, Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District, Hermits Peak/Pecos Wilderness

Fuels: Mixed conifer

Highlights:   Suppression efforts increased containment of the fire to 81%. Firefighters continued to focus their efforts on the northeast flank of the fire and will keep working in that area today.  Crews are working on the containment lines for suppression repair.  Evacuation levels have been decreased, and firefighter and public safety remain our number one priority as residents repopulate the area.

Operations: Firefighters hiked to the top of Hermits Peak and camped there last night.  Suppression operations will focus on the two hot spots on the peak to make sure they are extinguished.  Due to the remoteness of the area, helicopter crews ensured there was a safe landing zone to be able to access the area safely.  Crews continued to patrol the perimeter Monday, increasing containment to 81%.  Today’s focus will be on the northeastern edge of the fire, building and reinforcing containment lines. Fire activity  has moderated due to suppression efforts, and ground resources will continue to monitor the fire line, looking for any signs of heat or smoke.  Light cleanup and repair of the area is ongoing. The southern edge of the fire continued to hold, and crews will be actively repairing dozer lines.  Resources are focused on suppressing the Hermits Peak Fire as quickly and safely as possible, protecting nearby communities.    

Evacuations: The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office has reduced evacuation orders, and no communities remain in “GO” status.  Entrance into the communities remains restricted to residents only. The Sheriff’s Office continues to evaluate the situation orders using the Ready, Set, Go! system.  More information and details on evacuation orders are available on the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/smcso.nm.

Weather:  Today brings the return of a Red Flag warning with warmer temperatures and increasing winds into the afternoon and evening.  Wind speeds are expected to ramp up to 20-25 mph with gusts in the afternoon reaching 45 mph.  These dry, strong winds will continue into Saturday.  After a lull on Wednesday, winds will ramp back up again on Thursday and hit their peak on Friday, where gusts to 70 mph will be possible in the afternoon.

Restrictions: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued a closure order to protect public health and safety during fire operations on the Hermits Peak Fire. The full closure order and map are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes unmanned aircraft, or drones. More information on the dangers drones pose to wildland firefighting aircraft and personnel on the ground can be found at: www.nifc.gov/drones. 

Smoke: Smoke from the Hermits Peak Fire may be visible from Gallinas, El Porvenir, San Pablo, Mineral Hill, San Geronimo, Gascon, Pendaries, Rociada, Mora, Ledoux, Las Vegas, and along the I-25 corridor. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. 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 Hermits Peak Fire Information office hours are 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM.  The phone number is 505-663-6334 and email address is 2022.hermitspeak@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.