MORA – The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Flash Flood Warning for The Cooks Peak burn scar in North Central Mora County in northeastern New Mexico until 430 PM MDT. At 157 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain over the Cooks Peak Burn Scar. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Excessive rainfall over the burn scar will produce debris flows which can consist of rock, mud, vegetation, and other loose materials. HAZARD... Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding. IMPACT... Life threatening flash flooding of areas in and around the Cooks Peak Burn Scar. Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Ocate. Please stay up to date by listening to local radio and television for further information. Local officials may call for evacuations in specific areas with the greatest risk.

Las Vegas/ Mora – The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued Flood Watch for The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon burn scar for Mora County and San Miguel County in northeastern New Mexico.

FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM NOON MDT TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING.

* WHAT... Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible, especially over and below recent wildfire burn scars.

* WHERE... Portions of north central and northeast New Mexico, including the following areas, in north central New Mexico, East Slopes Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Glorieta Mesa Including Glorieta Pass and Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. In northeast New Mexico, Far Northeast Highlands, and Northeast Highlands.

* WHEN... From Noon MDT today through this evening.

* IMPACTS... Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and floodprone locations. Low-water crossings may be flooded. Storm drains, ditches, and culverts may become clogged with debris.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- National Weather Service Meteorologists are forecasting heavy rainfall over the burn scar, which may lead to flash flooding and debris flows.

Be sure to stay up to date with information from local authorities. Heavy rainfall could trigger flash flooding of low-lying areas, urbanized street flooding, and debris flows in and near recent wildfire burn scars.

Significant runoff may cause flooding of creeks and rivers.

Las Vegas – The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Flood Advisory for
Portions of north central and northeast New Mexico; this includes northern parts of the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon burn scar.

* WHAT… Arroyo and small stream flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE... A portion of northeast New Mexico, including the following counties, Mora and San Miguel.

* WHEN... Until 630 PM MDT.

* IMPACTS... Rises in small streams and normally dry arroyos. Some low-water crossings may become impassable.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... At 328 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. This will cause arroyo and small stream flooding.
- Some locations that will experience flooding include... Maes and Trujillo.

-This includes the following: State Road 104 between Mile Markers 18 and 31. 

Flash Flood Warning

Las Vegas – The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Flash Flood Warning for The Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Burn Scar in South Central Taos County in north central New Mexico Western Mora County in northeastern New Mexico Northwestern San Miguel County in northeastern New Mexico until 730 PM MDT.

At 428 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain over the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Burn Scar. Between 0.25 and 1 inch of rain has fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.25 to 0.75 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
Excessive rainfall over the burn scar will impact Manuelitas Creek, Sapello River, Rio San Jose, Santiago Creek, Rito Cebolla, Rio La Casa, Vigil Creek, Coyote Creek, Mora River, and La Canada del Carro. The debris flow can consist of rock, mud, vegetation, and other loose materials.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding in and around the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Burn Scar.

IMPACT... Some locations that will experience flash flooding include Mora, Ledoux, Morphy Lake State Park, Cleveland, Tierra Monte, La Cueva, Holman, Gascon, Sapello, Chacon, South Carmen, Monte Aplanado, Luceros, Rainsville, Rociada, Manuelitas, Golondrinas, El Turquillo, San Ignacio and Guadalupita.

The following highways may be impacted: State Road 94 between Mile Markers 1 and 18. State Road 266 between Mile Markers 0 and 6. State Road 276 between Mile Markers 0 and 5. State Road 518 between Mile Markers 9 and 47. State Road 434 between Mile Markers 0 and 14. State Road 283 near Mile Marker 13. State Road 105 between Mile Markers 0 and 9. State Road 121 between Mile Markers 0 and 8.

Please stay up to date by listening to local radio and television for further information. Local officials may call for evacuations in specific areas with the greatest risk.

 Las Vegas – The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Flood Advisory for Portions of north central and northeast New Mexico; this includes northern parts of the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon burn scar.

* WHAT… Arroyo and small stream flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE... A portion of northeast New Mexico, including the following counties, Mora and San Miguel.

* WHEN... Until 745 PM MDT.

* IMPACTS... Rises in small streams and normally dry arroyos. Some low-water crossings may become impassable.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... At 432 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. This will cause arroyo and small stream flooding.
- Some locations that will experience flooding include... Variadero and Trementina.
-This includes the following: State Road 104 between Mile Markers 36 and 63.  

Firefighters are mending fences, roads, and relationships
 July 20, 2022 – Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire Update

Acres: 341,735| Containment: 93% | Total personnel: 667|
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: 12 miles NW of Las Vegas, NM | Fuels: Heavy mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, brush, and grass

Highlights: Working hand in hand with private landowners, fire crews are fixing fences, repairing roads, seeding, chipping, and removing vegetation with great perseverance and fortitude. A break in the weather over the past two days has allowed firefighters to move further into the fire perimeter and make progress in areas previously impacted by the rain. 

Operations: Firefighters continue to spread native seeds and repair cut fences in Gallinas Canyon along Forest Road 65. Heavy equipment operators are using graders to improve Forest Road 83 heading north, while other crews are repairing fences in this area as well. Additional heavy equipment has been ordered to aid in dozer line repairs near Apache Canyon. Crews are persistently working on the Hamilton Mesa Trail to remove visual evidence of suppression activities in the Pecos Wilderness. Firefighters are chipping, lopping, and scattering vegetation near Elk Mountain to help naturalize the area. Near Grass Mountain, crews are scouting to form a plan to bring heavy equipment into this area. Firefighters are moving north from Martinez Pond, completing fence repairs and chipping vegetation. Crews are diligently working along the Pot Creek corridor and getting closer to completion for the upcoming hauling operation. Firefighters are repairing the dozer line near Sardinas Canyon with plans to move around to the northeast side to complete these repairs. Firefighters are also assessing the area near Angel Fire to determine what work remains. A grader working along Highway 120 is repairing the northeast dozer line. Field Observers are scouting and collecting information from personal observations across the fire area and providing this information back to fire managers. Crews and heavy equipment continue to work with private landowners in Ledoux and Chacon as more repair requests are received.

Closures and Restrictions: Area closures remain in effect for both the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests. These closures are in place for ongoing wildfire suppression repair operations, and to protect public health and safety in the event of debris flow and flash flooding. The wildfire suppression repair operations include, but are not limited to, road repair and stabilization, heavy equipment use, and fire line repair efforts. For the latest information about the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires closure orders for both the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests, please see the links to each forest’s website below. Information related to fire restrictions across public and private land can be found at: https://nmfireinfo.com/fire-restrictions/.

Weather: Clouds will increase this afternoon after a mostly clear morning. A few showers and thunderstorms will develop around midday and become more numerous through the afternoon. Lightning, heavy rain, small hail, and localized flooding are the primary hazards associated with these storms. High temperatures will range from the upper 60s in the higher terrain to the upper 80s in the lowest valleys. Scattered thunderstorms will be possible again on Thursday with similar temperature trends.

Fire Flooding and Recovery Resources: Disaster Assistance Resources: https://www.nmdhsem.org/2022-wildfires/| After Wildfire New Mexico Guide: https://www.afterwildfirenm.org/| Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires Burned Area Emergency Response: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8104/

For questions or concerns related to flooding, please call the New Mexico State Emergency Operations Center at 1-800-432-2080. For federal disaster assistance, please call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.

Private Land Suppression Repair Survey (English and Spanish): https://www.tinyurl.com/suppressionrepair

Fire Information: Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Phone: 505-356-2636| Email: 2022.hermitspeak@firenet.gov

Online Fire Information Resources: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8069/ | https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/| nmfireinfo.com |Santa Fe National Forest Twitter | tinyurl.com/HermitsYouTube | Santa Fe National Forest | Carson National Forest

Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Morning Video Update for July 18