New Mexico Department of Health and New Mexico Environment Department Issue Smoke Advisory for Northeastern New Mexico Thursday evening
Residents of San Miguel, Mora, Colfax (NW of I-25)

(Santa Fe, NM) — The Department of Health and the New Mexico Environment Department today issued a smoke advisory for San Miguel County, Mora, Colfax and surrounding communities due to anticipated smoke from the Hermits Peak Fire in New Mexico. The advisory will be in effect through Thursday evening. The Hermits Peak Fire started on April 6, 2022 at about 4:30 p.m., approximately 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas at the base of Hermits Peak in the Pecos Wilderness. The Hermits Peak Fire is burning through mixed conifer in steep, rugged terrain that poses challenges for firefighter access. The fire is approximately 6,276 acres burning mixed conifer, and is currently 10% contained Hermits Peak Fire Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System (nwcg.gov). The Hermits Peak Fire is anticipated to generate smoke toward the I-25 corridor in Northeastern New Mexico tonight and into tomorrow.

Smoke from the Hermits Peak Fire is located 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, NM will spread smoke across much of San Miguel County through Thursday evening. Smoke 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. Remember, your eyes are your best tools to determine if it is safe to be outside.

The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office has issued several evacuation orders using the Ready, Set, Go! system. For more details check NMFireInfo.com.

Use the 5-3-1 Method available at https://nmtracking.org/environment/air/FireAndSmoke.html.

• If visibility is under 5 miles, the air quality is unhealthy for young children, adults over age 65, pregnant women, and people with heart and/or lung disease, asthma or other respiratory illness and they should reduce outdoor activity.
• If visibility is under 3 miles, young children, adults over age 65, pregnant women, and people with heart and/or lung disease, asthma or other respiratory illness* should stay inside.
• If visibility is under 1 mile, the air quality is unhealthy for everyone and everyone should stay inside. Unless an evacuation has been issued, stay inside your home, indoor workplace, or in a safe shelter.

Visit https://nmtracking.org/fire to find guidance on distances and visibility and to get practical health tips for smoky days.

Air filters can help individuals improve indoor air quality due to wildfire smoke events by the use of indoor air cleaners and can make Do-It-Yourself air cleaners. Visit Research on DIY Air Cleaners to Reduce Wildfire Smoke Indoors | US EPA for guidance on how to make Do-It-Yourself air cleaners

April 13, 2022 - 1:00 PM - San Miguel County News Release - Hermits Peak Fire Immediate Full Evacuation

Evacuations: The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office has issued several evacuation orders using the Ready, Set, Go! system. As of 1:00 pm on April 13, North and Southeast Sapello and Los Alamitos have been added to Set status.

The following areas are in Go status (i.e., residents should be evacuating): Las Dispensas, Pendaries Village, San Ignacio, Las Tusas, Lone Pine Mesa, Canoncito, La Canada, Manuelitas, Lower Canyon Road in Gallinas Canyon and La Tewa, Chavez, County A3, Southwest Sapello, and Southern Tierra Monte-Canyon.

The following areas are in Set status (i.e., residents should be preparing for a potential evacuation): Upper Rociada, Rociada, Pendaries Valley East, Penasco Blanco, South Carmen, Northern Tierra Monte-Canyon, Big Pine, Canovas Canyon, El Porvenir, Gallinas, Trout Springs, Northeast and Southeast Sapello, and Los Alamitos. An evacuation shelter is available at the Old Memorial Middle School gym located at the corner of Legion and Old National in Las Vegas, NM.
 
Full news release is available at: https://www.facebook.com/smcso.nm 

April 12, 2022 - 4:00 PM - San Miguel County News Release - Hermits Peak Fire Immediate Full Evacuation

Evacuations: The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office has issued several evacuation orders using the Ready, Set, Go! system.

The following areas are in Go status (i.e., residents should be evacuating): Las Dispensas, Pendaries Village, San Ignacio, Las Tusas, Lone Pine Mesa, Canoncito, La Canada, Manuelitas, Lower Canyon Road in Gallinas Canyon and La Tewa, Chavez, County A3, Southwest Sapello, and Southern Tierra Monte-Canyon.

The following areas are in Set status (i.e., residents should be preparing for a potential evacuation): Upper Rociada, Rociada, Pendaries Valley East, Penasco Blanco, South Carmen, Northern Tierra Monte-Canyon, Big Pine, Canovas Canyon, El Porvenir, Gallinas, and Trout Springs. An evacuation shelter is available at the Old Memorial Middle School gym located at the corner of Legion and Old National in Las Vegas, NM.
 
Full news release is available at: https://www.facebook.com/smcso.nm 

Extreme winds cause rapid growth on the Hermits Peak Fire 

April 13, 2022 Daily Update

Acres: 6,276 acres

Start Date:  April 6, 2022

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

Containment: 10%

Total personnel: 354

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

Fuels: Mixed conifer

Highlights: The Hermits Peak Fire experienced rapid growth throughout the day and night on Tuesday. Largely driven by sustained winds of 50 to 60 miles per hour (mph) with gusts up to 70 mph, the fire spread nearly six miles to the east and northeast. As the fire moved toward Las Dispensas, firefighters worked quickly to prepare the areas around homes and structures to protect them from the advancing fire. Throughout the area, suppression efforts were hampered by the extreme winds that limited options for both firefighting crews and aircraft that were forced to stay grounded. Despite these challenges, firefighters were able to build defenses around the southern, eastern, and northern edges of the fire to shield communities from potential spread.

Operations: Firefighters are continuing to evaluate risks to surrounding communities while focusing on defending homes, structures, and infrastructure. Firefighters are working full day and night shifts to reinforce control lines along existing roads to the east and improve containment along the southern perimeter moving east and north. Crews have successfully prevented the fire from spreading north of the Sapello River corridor, and will continue to focus their efforts on holding the fire in this area and increase defenses around San Ignacio and the fire’s eastern edge. Based on wind predictions, firefighters continue to anticipate increased fire activity on all sides of the fire.

Evacuations: The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office has issued several evacuation orders using the Ready, Set, Go! system. The following areas are in Go status (i.e., residents should be evacuating): Las Dispensas, Pendaries Village, San Ignacio, Las Tusas, Lone Pine Mesa, Canoncito, La Canada, Manuelitas, Lower Canyon Road in Gallinas Canyon and La Tewa, Chavez, County A3, Southwest Sapello, and Southern Tierra Monte-Canyon. The following areas are in Set status (i.e., residents should be preparing for a potential evacuation): Upper Rociada, Rociada, Pendaries Valley East, Penasco Blanco, South Carmen, Northern Tierra Monte-Canyon, Big Pine, Canovas Canyon, El Porvenir, Gallinas, and Trout Springs. An evacuation shelter is available at the Old Memorial Middle School gym located at the corner of Legion and Old National in Las Vegas, NM.

Weather: A strong cold front is bringing much cooler and drier air into the area, carried by brisk northwesterly winds. After a hard freeze this morning, today will be sunny and cool, with high temperatures far below normal. Winds will become more westerly again and continue generally strong, although not as strong as yesterday. A combination of sunshine, very low humidity, and strong winds will keep fire weather conditions elevated. Another Red Flag Warning is in place today with another Hard Freeze Warning for tonight.

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.

Fire updates will be posted on Inciweb, the SFNF Facebook and Twitter, SFNF website, and New Mexico Fire Information website.

Email: 2022.hermitspeak@firenet.gov •  Phone: (505) 663-6334 • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

San Miguel County News Release April 12, 2022 12:30 pm 500 West National
Las Vegas, NM 87701
Media Contact: Joy Ansley 505 239-3973 jansley@co.sanmiguel.nm.us\
Hermits Peak Fire Immediate Full Evacuation
Las Vegas, NM 12:30 pm - High winds from the Southwest have caused major Northeastern movement of the fire, towards the areas of San Ignacio, La Canada, Las Tusas, Manuelitas, Southwest Sapello, Canoncito and Southern Tierra Monte Canon. As of 12:00 pm on April 12, 2022, these areas have been identified as 'Go', which means evacuation. The San Miguel County Sheriff's Office, in coordination with the US Forest Service, NM State Police and other local law enforcement agencies has implemented an immediate full evacuation for these residents. In addition, the following areas have been moved to 'Set' status: Northern Tierra Monte Canon, Pendaries Valley East, Penasco Blanco and South Carmen. 'Set' status means residents should be preparing for a possible evacuation.

Shelter site for residents and small animals: The Old Memorial Middle School gym located at the corner of Legion and Old National in Las Vegas is deployed and being utilized.

Shelter site for horses and livestock: The Zamora arena is being utilized to temporarily house evacuated horses and livestock. The directions to Zamora arena is Airport Road, CR C53A, 4 miles north of Las Vegas.

Tune into your local radio stations for further instructions.
Updates will be posted on San Miguel County OEM, Sheriff and Fire Facebook pages

A live virtual community meeting was held on Monday night to provide an update on the latest fire activity and address questions from the public. A full recording of the meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/santafeNF/.

Acres: 1,908 acres

Start Date:  April 6, 2022

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

Containment: 10%

Total personnel: 244

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

Fuels: Mixed conifer

Highlights: The Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 4 assumed command of the Hermits Peak Fire on Monday, April 11, 2022, and quickly engaged the fire with full suppression tactics. Unfavorable weather and wind conditions in steep terrain are challenging firefighters’ ability to directly attack the fire both on the ground and from the air. Additional firefighters, engines, equipment, and crews have been ordered to bolster the resources supporting the full suppression strategy. A live virtual community meeting was held on Monday night to provide an update on the latest fire activity and address questions from the public. A full recording of the meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/santafeNF/.

Operations: Fire activity has increased significantly with gusty and erratic wind conditions grounding aircraft early on Monday and likely throughout much of today. Firefighters are evaluating risks to surrounding communities and focusing on defending these structures if the fire advances further in their direction. Yesterday, firefighters worked late into the night to reinforce control lines along Forest Road 637 on the northeastern side of the fire. Firefighters continue to improve containment along the southern perimeter moving east and north. Crews are working to identify multiple options ahead of the main fire, looking at existing roads and other natural features to limit fire spread on the eastern edge, in anticipation of south-southwest winds pushing the fire further to the east and north. As new resources arrive, the incident management team plans to assign over 100 firefighters to a full nightshift to provide 24/7 coverage over the fire area.

Evacuations: The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office issued a mandatory evacuation for the communities of San Ignacio, Las Dispensas, Pendaries, Las Tusas, and Canoncito on Monday, April 11. An evacuation shelter is available at the old Memorial Middle School gym located at the corner of Legion and Old National in Las Vegas, NM.

Weather: A strong storm system will arrive today, bringing more clouds, cooler temperatures, chances for rain showers, and even stronger winds. Temperatures will be about 10 degrees cooler as clouds increase and scattered showers develop over the ridges west of the fire. Wind speeds are forecasted to exceed 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. Critical fire weather conditions and a Red Flag Warning are in place today, mainly due to the excessive winds. As high winds continue throughout the week, Red Flag Warnings may continue through Wednesday and Thursday.

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.

Fire updates will be posted on Inciweb, the SFNF Facebook and Twitter, SFNF website, and New Mexico Fire Information website.

Email: 2022.hermitspeak@firenet.gov •  Phone: (505) 663-6334 • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

The Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 4 will host a virtual community meeting tonight at 8pm on the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook page: https://facebook.com/santafeNF/. Viewers are encouraged to submit their questions in advance to 2022.hermitspeak@firenet.gov.