FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  July 6, 2022

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

MORA - The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Flash Flood Warning for the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Burn Scar in North Central Mora County in northeastern New Mexico until 5:45 PM, MDT.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE ATTACHED NEWS RELEASE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION. 

Acres: 341,735  Containment: 93%   Total Personnel: 556

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: On Wednesday, July 6 at 7:00 p.m., Transfer of Command for the north zone of the fire will occur from Southwest Area Incident Management Team 3, Incident Commander Lance Elmore to Great Basin Incident Management Team 7, Incident Commander Mike Johnston. The recording from last night’s community meeting is available on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CalfCanyonHermitsPeak.

North Zone (SWIMT3): Firefighters are working in and around Angel Fire and Black Lake to remove fire equipment such as hoses and pumps and are repairing roads that were used during suppression. Firefighters are working with landowners to fix fences that were cut during suppression operations, chipping brush, repairing roads, and removing debris from roadways and waterways around Mora, Holman, Guadalupita, Chacon, along NM Highways 518 and 434 corridors, and other areas. Documentation is being created of suppression repairs needing to be done at a later time. Firefighters assigned to the incident are available to respond to any new fire starts within the fire area.
 
South Zone (GBIMT7): Resources on the west side had to leave the fire area mid-afternoon today due to weather. They continue to repair hand and dozer line as the weather allows. Excavators in the southern portion of the fire remain busy repairing dozer line. In the east, a 20-person hand crew along with overhead staff are continuing to work to scout, validate, and repair areas that have been identified through the ‘Suppression Repair Form.’ Personnel continue to scout areas across the fire and will work on repair when safe to access.

Closures and Restrictions: For the latest information about the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires closure orders for both the Santa Fe National Forest and Carson National Forest, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/bdy5y99r. Information related to fire restrictions across public and private land can be found at: https://nmfireinfo.com/fire-restrictions/.

Evacuations: For updated evacuation information from the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires, please visit: www.tinyurl.com/hermitspeak. The Ready, Set, Go evacuation guide in English and Spanish are available at: https://tinyurl.com/RSGNM. For disaster assistance resources, visit: https://www.nmdhsem.org/2022-wildfires/.

Weather: Drier air will begin to move into the area reducing the amount of available moisture over the next few days. This will result in lower chances for widespread precipitation, but isolated showers and thunderstorms remain possible each afternoon. The overall threat for widespread flooding and debris flow remains low but would increase greatly should a strong, slow-moving storm move over a high severity burn scar area.

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/. New Mexico State EOC: 1-800-432 2080.

Suppression Repair Property Survey: https://www.tinyurl.com/suppressionrepair

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 | Carson NF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  July 5, 2022

FLASH FLOOD WARNING  

MORA - The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Flash Flood Warning for the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Burn Scar in northwestern Mora County in northeastern New Mexico until 5:45 PM, MDT.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE ATTACHED NEWS RELEASE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION  

For Immediate Release:  July 5, 2022

Las Vegas - The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Flood Advisory for portions of north central and northeast New Mexico, including the following counties in north central New Mexico:  Rio Arriba and Santa Fe. In northeast New Mexico:  Mora and San Miguel.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE ATTACHED NEWS RELEASE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION 

Effective July 5, 2022 the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire Daily Updates will be released every other day. Therefore, the next Fire Update will be issued on July 6th and every other day thereafter.

Important announcements regarding time-sensitive information will continue to be posted in the ANNOUNCEMENTS section of INCIWEB, as soon as it is released for distribution.

Any changes to Closures will be posted in the CLOSURES section.

Santa Fe National Forest

Forest Service News Release

Media Contact: Julie Anne Overton

505-414-6438 (cell)

SM.FS.sfnfpao@usda.gov

Santa Fe National Forest

11 Forest Lane, Santa Fe, NM 87508

Website | Facebook | Twitter

SANTA FE, NM – July 5, 2022 – A new closure order that goes into effect today at 8 a.m. reopens some areas on the west side of the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District that were closed under an earlier order, which terminates today, that restricted access to the entire district due to extreme fire danger. Monsoonal precipitation and additional containment of the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires have reduced the risk and allowed the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District to scale back the restricted area.

The always-popular Pecos Canyon corridor remains closed to hiking and camping under the new order, including all recreation sites from the Dalton Picnic Site north to Jacks Creek Campground, and there is no picnic or trailhead access within the canyon. Access to the Gallinas Canyon corridor is also off-limits.

Please do not plan to visit the following recreation sites:

·       Jacks Creek, Iron Gate, Panchuela, Cowles, Holy Ghost, Field Tract, El Porvenir and EV Long Campgrounds

·       Davis Willow and Dalton Dispersed Campgrounds

·       Dalton, Oak Flats and Baker Flats Picnic Sites

The Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon flood risk closure protects public health and safety during wildfire suppression repair operations. Suppression repair includes hazard tree felling, road repair and stabilization, heavy equipment use and fire rehabilitation activities. The order also protects public health and safety in the event of potential post-fire impacts, including debris flow and flash flooding. The order will be in effect until it is rescinded or until Dec. 31, 2022, whichever comes earlier.

The closure order prohibits members of the public from entering the restricted area, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, within an area on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District roughly defined by the southwestern edge of the forest boundary adjacent to the Village of Pecos, then following NM Route 63 north to Dalton Creek, following the creek northwest to the Pecos and Espanola District boundaries, then following the Pecos boundary north to the Pecos Wilderness, turning east and then north again to the junction of the Pecos Wilderness boundary and Beatty’s Trail 25, then following Trail 25 north to the Carson National Forest boundary and continuing northeasterly to the east boundary of the SFNF, then following the forest boundary south and then west back to the starting point at the Village of Pecos and NM Route 63.

Federal, state and local officers, firefighters and members of an organized rescue team, and any others authorized by Forest Service permit are exempt from the closure order. Violation of the closure order is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, imprisonment of not more than six months, or both.

The closure order and map are posted on the SFNF website, and copies are available at SFNF headquarters

and the Pecos and Las Vegas Ranger Stations. For additional information, please contact the Pecos office at 505-757- 6121 or the Las Vegas office at 505-425-3534. All current closure orders are posted on the Alerts and Notices page of the website.

# # #

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE

CARSON NATIONAL FOREST CAMINO REAL RANGER DISTRICT

Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire Closure

PROHIBITIONS

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a) and (b), the following acts are prohibited on the road and within the area (“Restricted Area”) described in this Order and as depicted on the attached map, all within the Camino Real Ranger District, Carson National Forest:

1.           Going into or being upon the Restricted Area. 36 C.F.R. § § 261.52(e) and 261.53(e).

2.           Using a motor vehicle on the road. 36 C.F.R. § 261.54(a).

EXEMPTIONS

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:

1.           Persons with a written Forest Service authorization specifically exempting them from the effect of this Order.

2.           Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.

3.           Residents using roads in the Restricted Area to the extend necessary to access their private property.

RESTRICTED AREA AND ROAD DESCRIBED

As shown in the map at Exhibit A, the Restricted Area contains all National Forest System lands, roads and trails within the boundary starting at the intersection of the National Forest boundary and Highway 76, 1/2 miles south of Truchas, then following north along Highway 76 to the Forest boundary south of Chamisal, then following the Forest boundary southeast then north to where it reconnects with Highway 75, then following Highway 75 east then north to the intersection of State Road 518 at the Rock Wall, then from the Rock Wall following north along State Road 518 to its intersection with National Forest System Road (FR) 437, then following in a general northeastern direction along FR 437 to US Highway 64 near Valle Escondido (FR 437 is closed to motorized use but open for nonmotorized use only), then following US Highway 64 east to FR 5, then following FR 5 to the Forest boundary near Angel Fire, then following the Forest boundary from Angel Fire south to the State Road 518, then continuing to follow the Forest boundary west back to the point of beginning at the intersection of the Forest boundary and Highway 76, south of Truchas.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Order is for wildfire suppression repair operations. These operations include but are not limited to hazard tree felling, road repair and stabilization, heavy equipment use and fire rehabilitation

efforts and to protect public health and safety in the event of debris flow and flash flooding in the Restricted Area.

IMPLEMENTATION

1.           This Order will be effective on July 5, 2022, at 08:00 a.m.., and shall remain in effect until

August 31, 2022, or until rescinded, whichever occurs first.

2.           A map identifying the Restricted Area, including the road restriction, is attached and made part of this Order as Exhibit A.

3.           Any violation of the prohibitions in this Order is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor or by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 for individuals, and $10,000.00 for organizations and/or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months (see 16 U.S.C. § 551, 18 U.S.C. § 3571(b)(6), 18 U.S.C. § 3581(b)(7)).

4.           Further information regarding this Order may be obtained at the Camino Real Ranger District located in Penasco, NM, telephone number 575-587-2255, and at the Carson National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Taos, NM, telephone number 575-758-6200.

5.           This Order supersedes any previous Orders prohibiting the same acts covered by this Order.

Done at Taos, New Mexico this

29th

day of June, 2022.

 Digitally signed by JAMES DURAN Date: 2022.06.29 07:22:43 -06'00'

JAMES D. DURAN