Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fire Update April 24

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: News Sun, 04/24/2022 - 12:00

Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires combine

April 24, 2022, Daily Update, 09:00AM

Acres: 54,004 acres

Containment: 12%

Start Date: April 19, 2022

Cause: Under investigation

Total personnel: 478

Location: Located near Gallinas Canyon

Fuels: Mixed conifer

Highlights: A drop in temperatures and wind speeds allowed fire crews to gain direct access to some areas of the fire line yesterday. Law enforcement is working to assess structure loss and damage as it becomes safe to enter areas within the fire perimeter. Notifications to property owners will be made by local law enforcement. For safety reasons, power remains off in Pendaries, County Road A-3A, Rociada, Manuelitas and Canoncito. There are several road closures, including Highway 518 from Sapello north to Buena Vista. The safety of firefighters and the public remains the number one priority.

Operations: Yesterday, fire crews focused efforts on protecting homes to the northwest between Highway 518 and the fire’s edge, as well as preventing the fire from moving south into the critical watershed area. The fire continued wind-driven growth across the grasslands at high rates of speed. Today, crews will continue to engage the fire directly where it is safe to do so, with a focus on point protection to minimize impacts on homes within the fire area and other values at risk.

Evacuations: The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office and Mora County Sheriff’s Office have issued mandatory “GO” evacuations in several areas, and many communities remain in “SET” and “READY” status. The evacuation status and road closures have changed rapidly in the last two days and continue to be assessed using the Ready, Set, Go! system. Please follow San Miguel County and Mora County Sheriff’s Facebook pages for the latest updates at https://www.facebook.com/smcso.nm and https://www.facebook.com/moracountysheriffoffice.

Weather: An expected reduction in temperature and wind speed as well as intermittent cloud cover today may provide opportunities for safer firefighter engagement. Smoke and shifting wind directions could impact visibility and access to certain areas within the fire area.

Restrictions: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued a closure order and has implemented Stage II fire restrictions to protect public health and safety during fire operations on the Calf Canyon Fire. Full closure order and map are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home. The temporary flight restriction (TFR) in place over the area was expanded to include the Gallinas Canyon area. The TFR also covers unmanned aircraft, or drones. If a private drone intrudes into the fire area, it will require a pause in all air operations and impede firefighting progress, putting firefighters at greater risk. 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: Fire activity around Rociada, Pendaries, and Sapello will cause unhealthy air quality conditions in the area. West winds will produce periods of Unhealthy to Sensitive Groups quality air in the Las Vegas area at times. Moderate conditions throughout the day are expected in the Las Vegas area. Periods of blowing dust, smoke will reduce visibility along portions of NM-518. 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 Calf Canyon Fire and Hermit Peak Fire Information office hours are 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM. The phone number for fire information is 505-356-2636. The email address is 2022.calfcanyon@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.

San Miguel and Mora County News Release 230 pm April 23 Amended

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: Closures Sat, 04/23/2022 - 12:00

No photo description available.

Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Daily Update April 23

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: News Sat, 04/23/2022 - 12:00

Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires combine

April 23, 2022, Daily Update, 10:00AM

Acres: 42,341 acres

Start Date: April 19, 2022

Cause: Under investigation

Total personnel: 419

Location: Located near Gallinas Canyon

Fuels: Mixed conifer

Highlights: Structure loss has occurred due to the extreme weather experienced yesterday that caused uncontrolled fire line that impacted communities. Firefighters and law enforcement are gaining access to the areas that are safe to do so. Damage assessments will be ongoing and when the information is gathered, residents will be contacted by the county.For safety reasons, power has been proactively shut off in Pendaries, County Road A-3A, Rociada, Manelitas and Canoncito. There are several road closures, including Highway 518 from Sapello north to Buena Vista. The safety of firefighters and the public remains the number one priority.

Operations: The focus Friday was on life safety for the public during evacuations and firefighters trying to engage as safely as they were able. Fire managers coordinated with both County Sheriff’s Offices for timely notices of evacuations throughout the day. With the rapid rate of spread of the fire and limited visibility, it was very challenging to determine where the active fire was at and very difficult for firefighters to engage in this dangerous, dynamic environment. There was limited opportunity for the crews to do active structure protection due to extreme fire behavior. Today the crews will be focusing on protecting homes to the northwest between Highway 518 and the fire’s edge, as well as preventing the fire from moving south into the critical watershed area. Spotting up to a half a mile is anticipated. The fire is expected to cross 518 and burn across the grasslands at a high rate of speed as the wind is a driving factor. Due to the merging of the two fires, containment has not been able to be accurately calculated.

Evacuations: The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office and Mora County Sheriff’s Office have been working together to keep people safe and have issued mandatory “GO” evacuations, and many communities remain in “SET” and “READY” status. The evacuation status and road closures continue to be assessed and are made using the Ready, Set, Go! system. Updates will be posted on San Miguel County and Mora County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/smcso.nm.

Weather: There is a Red Flag Warning today with mostly west winds, then turning north-northwest through the day with speeds of 20-25mph and gusts above 40mph. Southwest- West winds will sharply increase to 20-30 mph with gusts out of the west upwards of 40 mph by midday into the afternoon. Widespread wind gusts throughout the day.

Restrictions: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued a closure order and has implemented Stage II fire restrictions to protect public health and safety during fire operations on the Calf Canyon Fire. Full closure order and map are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home. Temporary flight restriction (TFR) in place over the area was expanded to include the Gallinas Canyon area. The TFR also covers 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: Fire activity around Rociada, Pendaries, and Sapello will cause unhealthy air quality conditions in the area. West winds will produce periods of Unhealthy to Sensitive Groups quality air in the Las Vegas area at times. Moderate conditions throughout the day expected in the Las Vegas area. Periods of blowing dust, smoke will reduce visibility along portions of NM-518.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 Calf Canyon Fire and Hermit Peak Fire Information office hours are 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM. The phone number for fire information is 505-356-2636. The email address is 2022.calfcanyon@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.

San Miguel and Mora County Evacuation News Release April 22

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: Closures Fri, 04/22/2022 - 12:00

No photo description available.

San Miguel Evacuation Update 42222

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: Closures Thu, 04/21/2022 - 12:00

No photo description available.

Smoke Outlook April 22

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: News Fri, 04/22/2022 - 12:00

Extreme weather and dangerous conditions on Calf Canyon Fire

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: News Fri, 04/22/2022 - 12:00

Extreme weather and dangerous conditions on Calf Canyon Fire

April 22, 2022, Daily Update, 10:00AM

Acres: 3,000 acres

Start Date: April 19, 2022

Cause: Under investigation

Containment: 0%

Total personnel: 124

Location: Located near Gallinas Canyon

Fuels: Mixed conifer

Highlights: The National Weather Service has issued an extreme weather warning. The public is encouraged to stay vigilant on evacuation status through the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office and be prepared to leave in a rapid manner. Due to extremely high winds, powerlines and trees may block egress in many areas. Roads will likely become congested with traffic leaving the area, and smoke will make it difficult to see. Use extreme caution on the roads.

Operations: Progress was made on the perimeter of the fire line, considering the conditions with the wind. Aircraft was able to support firefighters with multiple air tankers dropping an estimated 69,000 gallons of water on the fire Thursday. Helicopter usage was limited due to turbulent air. Air resources are not likely to fly on Friday due to the extreme wind. Crews were able to get two-thirds of the control line completed up to the ridge cap and were close to completing the perimeter. A section of the active fire perimeter broke out on the northwest side of the drainage and started to make a quick run through the area. Point protection and structure protection was ongoing in areas where it was safe to do so. Today, the safety of firefighters is paramount. Due to the extreme winds, there could be downed trees or powerlines and road blockages. Extreme dry, warm and windy conditions mean that any ember that lands in a source of fuel will ignite. Extreme fire behavior is expected with spotting potential to be in the ½ to ¾ mile range. Safety is always the number one priority.

Evacuations: The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office has issued mandatory “GO” evacuations as of 8:00 am Friday, April 22. Due to the severity of the conditions, everyone in the area should be prepared to evacuate. The evacuation status and road closures are currently being assessed by the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, using the Ready, Set, Go! system. Stay tuned and alert for updated details on evacuation orders on the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/smcso.nm.

Weather: There is a High-End Red Flag Warning from 9:00 am to midnight with winds predicted in the 60-74 mph range. Temperatures will be in the upper 70s and very dry. The inversion is predicted to lift and give higher winds the ability to come straight down. Late morning gusts should peak in the afternoon but gusts of 50-60 mph are still possible up until midnight.

Restrictions: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued a closure order to protect public health and safety during fire operations on the Calf Canyon Fire. Full closure order and map are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home. The Santa Fe National Forest implemented Stage II fire restrictions today at 8:00 am. The temporary flight restriction (TFR) in place over the area was expanded to include the Gallinas Canyon area. The TFR also covers 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 impacts in the area will occur in the late evening hours due to wind changes from the west. High winds and blowing dust will cause reduced visibility on roads. Areas north of the fire will see smoke increasing later in the day. Moderate to Unhealthy to Sensitive Groups conditions will continue.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 Calf Canyon Fire Information office hours are 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM. The phone number for fire information is 505-356-2636. The email address is 2022.calfcanyon@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

New phone number is 5053562636

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: Announcement Fri, 04/22/2022 - 12:00

The new phone number for information is 505-356-2636.

Special update Extreme Weather Fire Behavior in next 2448 hours

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: Announcement Thu, 04/21/2022 - 12:00

Special update – Extreme Weather & Fire Behavior anticipated in the next 24-48 hours over the Calf Canyon Fire. The National Weather Service has issued a extreme weather warning. There is high confidence that a widespread extreme and catastrophic fire weather event will occur on Friday, April 22nd. Strong damaging winds will directly impact firefighting efforts on the Calf Canyon Fire and hinder response to any new fire starts that may occur due to the extreme weather conditions. We are urging the public to stay vigilant, to continue to watch for expected changes in evacuation status and be prepared to leave in a rapid manner. Due to high winds debris, powerlines and trees may block egress in many areas. Roads will likely become congested with traffic leaving the area. Shelters continue to be available in Las Vegas, NM at the Old Memorial Middle School. Updated information is available on the Sheriff San Miguel Facebook page, InciWeb, and the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook page.

SFNF Implements Stage 2 Fire Restrictions

Related Incident: Calf Canyon

Publication Type: News Thu, 04/21/2022 - 12:00

Forest Service News Release

Santa Fe National Forest11 Forest Lane, Santa Fe, NM 87508Website | Facebook | Twitter

Media Contact: Julie Anne Overton

505-414-6438

SM.FS.sfnfpao@usda.gov

SFNF Implements Stage 2 Fire Restrictions

SANTA FE, NM – April 21, 2022 – Based on recent wildfire activity and persistent severe fire weather conditions, the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) will implement forest-wide Stage 2 fire restrictions at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, April 22, to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires.Forest managers use several criteria to determine when to implement restrictions, including current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, fire activity levels and available firefighting resources. Stage 2 fire restrictions prohibit the following activities on the SFNF:

Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire or stove fire.

Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is cleared vegetation and flammable material.

Blasting, welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame.

Using an explosive of any kind. (Fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices are always prohibited on national forests.)

Operating any equipment powered by an internal combustion engine, including chainsaws, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Driving off designated roads. Visitors may park in areas cleared of vegetation within 10 feet of the roadway, or in designated parking areas.

Visitors may use stoves, grills and lanterns fueled by propane or other liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuels that meet manufacturer’s safety specifications. If you plan to visit the forest, be sure to practice One Less Spark vehicle safety guidelines by securing chains, checking tire pressure and properly maintaining your brakes.

All SFNF offices will proceed with virtual sales of 2022 personal-use fuelwood permits on May 2. However, fuelwood permit holders will be required to observe the so-called “hoot owl” provision in the order that prohibits the use of a chainsaw between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Historically, the term was used to notify woodcutters they could only cut during the morning hours when they could hear owls in the forest. Today, the restriction reduces the risk of an accidental fire start by mechanical equipment during the hottest, driest part of the day.

Stage 2 fire restrictions are a proactive way to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires, protect natural and cultural resources, and enhance public and firefighter safety. Forest visitors are asked to use extreme caution when fire restrictions are in place. Violations are punishable as a Class B misdemeanor by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations and/or by imprisonment for not more than six months. The fire restrictions are in place until Dec. 31, 2022, unless rescinded earlier.

Federal, state and local officers and members of an organized rescue team or firefighting force are exempt from the closure order.

The fire restrictions closure order is posted under Alerts and Notices on the SFNF website. Stay up to date on SFNF closures and other news by checking the SFNF website and following us on Facebook and Twitter.

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