High winds and low humidity continue to fan fires in New Mexico that have grown to over 230,000 acres as of May 11, causing President Joe Biden to issue a disaster declaration in the affected counties.
The Hermits Peak fire started as a prescribed burn in the Santa Fe National Forest and escaped on April 6. The Calf Canyon fire started on April 19, and the cause is under investigation. The two fires combined around April 23 to become the largest active fire currently in the U.S and the second largest fire in state history.
As of May 11, the fire was 33 percent contained, with 1,863 personnel assigned to the fire.
The fire has resulted in the evacuation of residents in Mora County and San Miguel County surrounding San Geronimo and the Mineral Hill area, while residents of Las Vegas remain on high alert. Some residents in Taos and Colfax counties are under the “ready” and “set” statuses (under the state’s “Ready, Set, Go!” fire framework) as the fire moves northwest, according to New Mexico Fire Information. Fire officials estimated that 300 structures were lost in the blaze.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) recently demanded that the federal government change its parameters regarding prescribed burns, especially in the windy spring season. Lujan Grisham questioned why the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) would burn in April, when fire experts say it is notoriously windy in New Mexico. Local residents have posted on Facebook to say the same.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-3) wrote a letter to USFS stating she was outraged and demanded answers on how the agency could approve the prescribed burn. “New Mexicans will feel the damage from this fire for years and generations to come,” she wrote. Fernandez also called for updated prescribed burn protocols.
USFS spokesperson Michelle Burnett told Source New Mexico the prescribed burn was scheduled for March, but officials called it off due to snow on the ground. USFS said the forecasted weather conditions were “within parameters of the prescribed burn,” but the agency has declined to specify what those parameters were.
Other wildfires are also burning in the state, including the Cerro Pelado fire, which started on April 22 east of Jemez Springs and southeast of Los Alamos near the Bandelier National Monument. The fire had burned over 42,000 acres as of May 10 and is 11 percent contained, according to InciWeb. Officials at Los Alamos National Laboratory and residents in the nearby town of Los Alamos are preparing for evacuations as a precaution.
The Bear Trap fire in the San Mateo Mountains started May 1, and as of May 11, had burned over 7,200 acres. No communities are under threat at this time. Crews have gotten the upper hand on the Cooks Peak fire, which was 97 percent contained and burned close to 60,000 acres. The fire started on April 17 and forced the evacuation of some Mora County residents, who are slowly being allowed to return to their homes.
On May 4, Biden made a federal disaster declaration, making funding available for residents of Colfax, Lincoln, Mora, San Miguel and Valencia counties. The funding provides grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has information on their website on how to apply for aid, where to donate supplies and volunteer, and where to find fire information and resources.
Ranches
Loren Patterson, president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, told WLJ there are about 100 ranches affected by the fire, and New Mexico Livestock Board inspectors will perform follow-ups on 424 locations with all types of livestock.
Patterson said the biggest concern is the fire and the lack of power in fire-adjacent areas, which prevents the pumping of well water. He noted there had been record winds, with gusts up to 50 miles per hour, and the humidity has been very low for this time of year.
The National Weather Service has continued to issue Red Flag Warnings for much of New Mexico and Arizona and parts of Colorado and Nevada. Forecasters said New Mexico is outpacing most other recent years for the number of Red Flag days in April and May so far.
Patterson said that some ranchers or their family members have evacuated, with some returning to check on livestock with escorts.
For affected producers who need an escort to check on animals, contact the New Mexico State Police Dispatch office in Las Vegas at 505-425-6771, and they will take your information to schedule a time when it is safe to check.
Vincent Marquez, a rancher in San Miguel County, told the Santa Fe New Mexican he lost a yearling to a mountain lion because predators and other wildlife are moving away from the fire. Marquez said he had seen the elk population triple since the start of the fire and the mule deer population quadruple as they try to escape the fire.
Marquez, who lives in Las Vegas, said he is reasonably sure the fire destroyed the ranch and cabin after learning a nearby home was burned, but he moved his cattle before the fire arrived.
Patterson said people are upset the prescribed burn by USFS resulted in the Hermits Peak fire.
Patterson said the community, which has been there for generations, will be affected for decades as a result of the fire. As the community recovers, Patterson said federal relief should be provided, and the community should have more control of forest management.
The New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association has established a producer relief fund on their website at https://bit.ly/3kwnpcb or by calling 505-247-0584. Funds will be used to assist families, cover transportation costs for hay and cover replacement fencing, Patterson said.
The Public Lands Council (PLC) is working with the Bureau of Land Management and USFS to ensure producers have resources available during the fire season, including access to alternative forages, authorization to move livestock during incidents, and support when fire causes livestock or forage losses. On PLC’s website, ranchers can find a list of available federal and state disaster resources for wildfires and droughts. —Charles Wallace, WLJ editor
