Update on the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fires in New Mexico

They have burned more than 60,000 acres

11:36 a.m. MDT April 26, 2022

Calf Canyon Fire map
Map of the Calf Canyon Fire after it merged with the Hermits Peak Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 2 a.m. MDT April 26, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.

With more favorable weather conditions and less active fire behavior on the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fires, on Monday firefighters were able to engage in operations in areas that had previously been difficult to reach safely.

There was incremental growth on Monday. The fire was mapped by an aircraft at 2 a.m. MDT Tuesday and found to have burned 60,173 acres. That is the combined size of the two fires that merged.

Firefighters were able to engage aggressively across the fire area yesterday, capitalizing on the favorable weather conditions.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fires, including the most recent, click HERE.

“Fire managers are determining where to focus resources based on weather, terrain, predicted fire behavior, and values at risk,” according to a statement issued by the Incident Management Team.”These decisions are based on the highest probability of success and flexible options in the event of sudden changes in weather or fire behavior.”

Law enforcement agencies are assessing impacts the fire had on structures and will be notifying property owners once confirmed.

CL-415 air tankers Calf Canyon Fire
Map shwing two CL-415 air tankers on the Calf Canyon Fire, April 26, 2022. The track of one, Tanker 283, is displayed. FlightRadar24.

Beginning Monday and continuing on Tuesday, four water-scooping air tankers have been obtaining water from Lake Isabel and dropping it on the fire. To date, the scoopers along with other aircraft have delivered over 265,000 gallons. The lake is 8 miles east of the east side of the fire, which would be about a 5 minute one-way trip carrying up to 1,600 gallons of water. The map above shows the track of one of two CL-415 air tankers working the fire at 10:52 a.m. on Tuesday. An icon for a second CL-415 is also seen, but without its track — they often work in pairs.

Hermits Peak Fire Calf Canyon
Hermits Peak Fire by @jennalunaphoto

The wind will be out of the southwest at 20 mph Tuesday increasing to 24 with gusts to 32 on Wednesday. The forecast calls for the relative humidity to be in the high teens Tuesday, and on Wednesday in the 20s with a chance of thunderstorms and a small amount of rain.

Typos, let us know HERE, and specify which article. Please read the commenting rules before you post a comment.

Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

13 thoughts on “Update on the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fires in New Mexico”

  1. Probable reason for not making a complex is that typically you move to one charge code. Here you have an escaped Rx where the GOV is liable and another fire that is under imvestigation, so likely another human will be liable. Essentially the answer is a legal ramifications.

    0
    0
  2. This is going to be a REALLY EXPENSIVE fire for the FS!!! Cost per acre on that RX is going up dramatically! And I agree with Old DRHS regarding expecting the unexpected. A great friend and co-worker once told me that if the hair on the back of your neck isn’t standing up when you start lighting a RX fire, you are over confident and it is going to bite you in the ass….

    0
    0
  3. Good to see the 4 Scoopers working. Should be a load on the fire every couple minutes depending on elevation change from lake to fire. We know they can be effective in parts of California, Washington, Idaho Panhandle, and western Montana, but even in a non-traditional area like New Mexico there are opportunities that can be capitalized on certain fires like this.

    0
    0
    1. Good question. They still maintain two Inciweb pages for what is now one fire. It’s very confusing.

      0
      0
  4. According to inciweb this fire began as an escaped RX, statement from inciweb The Las Dispensas prescribed fire on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest was declared a wildfire at approximately 4:30 p.m. on April 6, 2022.

    I believe that when this fire is mentioned in a story that folks need to be reminded of this, not to create friction, we lose rx projects all the time, I recall our old salty FMO back in the early 80’s tell us if you ain’t chasing spots you ain’t burning..lol…. And why the name change…..curious.

    I have never been a big fan of the statement that it was unexpected, just never sat very well with me, in this business you need to expect every thing, have a plan for every thing……I know……this guy does not know what the heck he is talking about…..just my opinion …maybe instead just say it did not go as planned …..I have had some of my RX project get out, I was not surprised…..just ticked…..

    I am glad that the WX is beginning to moderate for them……

    0
    0
      1. I spoke to a fireman today who responded at the start of Calf Canyon fire and he basically said the same thing . FS had been conducting a long term 10 year thinning project in Calf Canyon and left behind enormous piles of slash in the forest that could not be contained – I guess who lit them was implied.

        0
        0
  5. Calf Canyon is an escaped Pile burn that was directly adjacent to Hermits peak, a week prior.

    0
    0
      1. Hello Mr. Gabbert! I am from the future and am here to tell you that on 5/13 you will be reporting about Calf being a likely escaped Pile Burn.

        0
        0

Comments are closed.