Hermits Peak Fire Archives - Page 2 of 4

Updates on four large wildfires in New Mexico

Bill GabbertMay 17, 2022May 18, 2022WildfireBear Trap Fire, Black Fire, Calf Canyon Fire, Cerro Pelado Fire, Hermits Peak Fire, New Mexico33 Comments

Updated at 5:28 p.m. MDT May 18, 2022

Red Flag Warning for the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire, May 19-20, 2022. NWS.

The National Weather Service has taken the unusual step of issuing a Red Flag Warning one and two days in advance for the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire 21 miles east of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The prediction is for winds gusting from the west and southwest at more than 30 mph with single digit relative humidity. Similar conditions will exist at least on Thursday for the area of the Black and Bear Trap Fires in southwest New Mexico.

Updated 12:10 p.m. MDT May 18, 2022

Map Black Fire 914 p.m. MDT May 18, 2022 — Map of the Black Fire. The bright red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:48 a.m. May 18. The red line is the perimeter at 9:14 p.m. May 17. The white line is the perimeter about 48 hours before.

On Wednesday the northern half of New Mexico is under a Red Flag Warning. Isolated dry thunderstorms are predicted for portions of New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado.

Red Flag Warnings Wednesday.
Chance for isolated dry thunderstorms in portions of NM, CO, & TX.
From the NWS:
“Thunderstorms are expected across portions of the central Rockies this afternoon. Storms should be dry with the potential for new lightning induced fire starts.” pic.twitter.com/kT4KwlJC27

— Wildfire Today ? (@wildfiretoday) May 18, 2022

The Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire 21 miles east of Santa Fe, NM was active on the west side Tuesday, but there was very little significant activity on the east side between Mora and Las Vegas.

The Cerro Pelado Fire 25 miles west of Santa Fe was relatively quiet Tuesday. There has been no major spread for several days and a satellite was only able to detect one large heat source early Wednesday morning.

The Black Fire (see map above) 28 miles west-northwest of Truth or Consequences made another large run to the east Tuesday adding another 21,000 acres to bring the total up to 77,360. Fuel treatments and wildfires that have occurred over the last 20 years may slow any major spread to the north, west, and south, but the NIFC database shows no significant history of fire east of the incident.

Map Bear Trap Fire 943 p.m. MDT May 17, 2022 — Map of the Bear Trap Fire. The bright red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:48 a.m. May 18. The red line is the perimeter at 9:43 p.m. May 17. The white line is the perimeter about 24 hours before.

Another fire in southwest New Mexico, the Bear Trap Fire, is 34 miles southwest of Socorro. It spread southwest on Tuesday and was mapped Tuesday night at 15,215 acres. The fire is surrounded by fuel treatments and prescribed natural fires on all sides except for the southwest — which is where the most of the spread has occurred during the last couple of days.

5:10 p.m. MDT May 17, 2022

High temperatures and very low humidity on Tuesday kept most of the large wildfires in New Mexico very active.

Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire

The Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire 21 miles east of Santa Fe has become the largest fire in the recorded history of New Mexico. At 299,565 acres it has eclipsed the previous record set by the 297,845-acre Whitewater and Baldy Fires when they burned together in May of 2012 in Southwest New Mexico. On Tuesday it was again putting up a large smoke column while a 5 to 20 mph wind gusted out of of the northwest, west, and southwest at 25 mph. The humidity dropped to 10 percent in the afternoon.

Cerro Pelado Fire

On Monday most of the fire activity on the 45,605-acre Cerro Pelado Fire was on the northwest and southeast sides. On Tuesday the fire 25 miles west of Santa Fe was putting up much less smoke than the Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire, judging from the Satellite photo below taken at 3:56 p.m.

Continue reading “Updates on four large wildfires in New Mexico”

Smoke from New Mexico fires affects Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Kansas

Bill GabbertMay 16, 2022UncategorizedBlack Fire, Calf Canyon Fire, Hermits Peak Fire, smoke7 Comments

Wildfire smoke at 5 p.m. MDT May 16, 2022 — Vertically integrated wildfire smoke at 5 p.m. MDT May 16, 2022.

Large quantities of smoke from the Black and Calf Canyon Fires in New Mexico is impacting other states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Kansas.

wildfire Smoke 10 a.m. 2022-05-17 — Vertically integrated wildfire smoke forecast for 10 a.m. MDT May 17, 2022.

Update: Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire May 15

Bill GabbertMay 15, 2022May 15, 2022WildfireCalf Canyon Fire, Hermits Peak Fire, New Mexico19 Comments

9:35 a.m. MDT May 15, 2022

Map Calf Canyon Hermits Peak Fire 343 a.m. May 15, 2022 — Map of the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire. The bright red areas represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:43 a.m. May 15, 2022.

The spread of the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire in Northern New Mexico has slowed in recent days compared to the rapid spread seen early last week during very strong winds and ultra low humidity.

The fire was mapped Saturday evening at 288,942 acres. Most of the activity at that time was on the west flanks, and on the north side near Holman, Chacon, Cleveland, and Mora. Crews are working to keep it away from structures and are putting in additional firelines. The perimeter on the east side between Las Vegas and La Cueva has been secure for several days.

Three Incident Management Teams are assigned. The Southwest Incident Management Team 3 (SWIMT3) has assumed command of the southern half of the fire. The SWIMT 1 took management of the northern half, and the California IMT 2 will work to the north on a bigger-picture strategic plan for control, identifying additional locations where containment lines may be constructed.

The weather forecast for Sunday is west to southwest winds 15 to 20 mph, with gusts to 25 on the north and central zones. Temperatures will range from the upper 60’s to mid-80’s depending on the elevation, with a minimum relative humidity 7 to 11 percent. Even though the wind speeds are not extreme the fire will remain active, with critically dry fuels and near-record high temperatures.

Firefighters on the Calf Canyon - Hermits Peak Fire — Firefighters on the Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire, near Highway 434, posted by Santa Fe National Forest May 12, 2022.

Forest Service burned hundreds of acres of piles in the general area where the Calf Canyon Fire started

Bill GabbertMay 13, 2022May 14, 2022Prescribed Fire, WildfireCalf Canyon Fire, escaped prescribed fire, Hermits Peak Fire, New Mexico, pile burn49 Comments

There is very little fire history out in front of the Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire in Northern New Mexico

9:09 p.m. MDT May 13, 2022

About three months before the Calf Canyon Fire was reported April 19, 2022, employees of the Santa Fe National Forest ignited hundreds of acres of debris piles which were created during fuels treatment projects. The piles were “approximately 17 miles west of Las Vegas,” according to a notice posted at the New Mexico Fire Information website on January 26, 2022. (See below) The name of the project was Gallinas Canyon wildland-urban interface (WUI) prescribed pile burn. In January prior to the notice crews had already completed 266 acres of the 374-acre unit and planned to continue burning more piles “as early as January 27.”

Pile burning Calf Canyon Santa Fe National Forest escaped fire — Screenshot from the New Mexico Fire Information website posted January 26, 2022. Accessed May 13, 2022.

Fires are usually named after a geographical feature near the point of origin. Calf Canyon Road intersects with Forest Road 263 which is in Gallinas Canyon.

On September 27, 2012 a 300-acre hazardous fuels reduction mechanical thinning project was finished just north of Calf Canyon Road, which likely left hundreds of piles to burn later.

This project and Calf Canyon Road are broadly within the general area where the Calf Canyon Fire started. There have also been other fuels treatment projects in that area over the last 10 years.

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

The US Forest Service has already identified an escaped prescribed fire as the cause of the Hermits Peak Fire, but lists the cause of the Calf Canyon Fire as under investigation.

Wildfires, prescribed fires, and pile burns are known to have smoldered for months, sometimes under snow and through an entire winter, before being discovered months later when smoke becomes visible. The burn piles were at approximately 8,000 feet, so the snow reported in the notice may have kept the vegetation cold and wet for a couple of months if the pile burning was completed in February. We are not saying that is what caused the Calf Canyon Fire, but investigators have no doubt evaluated that possibility and ruled it in or out.

Three days after the Calf Canyon Fire was reported strong winds and low humidities combined to caused it to merge with the Hermits Peak Fire and spread 10 miles to the northeast through dry vegetation in a 24-hour period.

What is next for the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire?

Fire history map, Calf Canyon - Hermits Peak Fire May 12, 2022 — Fire history map, Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire May 12, 2022.

While the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire has been churning through more than 270,000 acres on its march to the north, at least 90 percent of those acres have burned in areas with no recorded history of previous fires in the national database, going back decades. If that spread to the north and north-northeast continues there is limited significant fire scars in the records out ahead that will slow the fire. (Update May 14, 2022: The NIFC database does not include two fires north of the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire; the 2020 Luna Fire (10,100 acres) and the 2018 Sardinas Canyon Fire (2,300 acres), according to the link provided in a comment by SE.)

The overall length of the fire is 45 miles as of Thursday night May 12. From the origins they ran north for 32 miles, and south for 13.

There are also no large completed fuel treatment projects in the national database north of the fire that could serve as barriers, except for several near US Highway 64 west of Angel Fire near Valle Escondido 14 miles away. But there are other fuels treatment projects at what is now the southeast corner of the fire in the Barillas Peak area. It has just started to burn into the 2,534-acre “Wildfire Commissary 2015” fire use fire, but it is possible that without too much trouble it could work its way around it, another smaller fire use incident, and a 600-acre prescribed fire conducted in 2004.

At the end of the day on May 12 the north end of the fire was 14 miles from US 64, 19 miles from Taos, 11 miles from the Cooks Peak Fire, and 25 miles from the Philmont Scout Ranch.

Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire exceeds a quarter million acres

Bill GabbertMay 12, 2022WildfireCalf Canyon Fire, Hermits Peak Fire, New Mexico104 Comments

smoke Calf Canyon - Hermits Peak Fire — Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire in northern New Mexico, May 10, 2022. Seen from Santa Fe. Photo by Allen Olson.

Most of the growth of the Calf Canyon – Hermits Peak Fire Wednesday was on the north end where it spread for one to three miles further north and northeast. As of Wednesday night at 10:39 it remained west of Highway 434. It increased by about 22,000 acres Wednesday to bring the total up to 259,810 acres.

3-D Map Calf Canyon - Hermits Peak Fire — 3-D Map of the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire, looking south. The red line was the perimeter at 10:39 p.m. MDT May 11, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.

Map Calf Canyon - Hermits Peak Fire — Map of the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 10:39 p.m. MDT May 11, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.

Calf Canyon -Hermits Peak fire — Firefighters hold the Calf Canyon -Hermits Peak Fire at Highway 434, May 10, 2022. Inciweb.

Firefighters in Northern New Mexico battling winds and large fires

Bill GabbertMay 10, 2022May 11, 2022WildfireCalf Canyon Fire, Hermits Peak Fire, New Mexico6 Comments

Updated 11:55 a.m. MDT May 11, 2022

Lone Peak Hotshots Cerro Pelado Fire — Lone Peak Hotshots conduct a burning operation on the Cerro Pelado Fire in Northern New Mexico, May 10, 2022. Inciweb.

Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire

The Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire made large runs on the north side Tuesday. The area that spotted over Highway 518 a couple of days ago east of Holman spread six miles farther north. Another slopover occurred Tuesday northwest of Holman and ran four miles to the north. When the fire was mapped at 11 p.m. Tuesday the fire had not spread east of the 434 road.

On the south end east of Barillas peak, an area that has been very active recently, it moved another two miles to the south.

Tuesday afternoon I briefly checked an aircraft tracking website and quite a few aircraft working the fire, thanks to a decrease in wind speeds and turbulence. At that time there were two large air tankers (MD-87s), one very large air tanker (DC-10), four scooping air tankers, at least two helicopters, as well as a lead plane and an air attack.

The blaze has now burned 236,939 acres, an increase of about 33,000 acres in 24 hours, and is now 13 miles southwest of the Cooks Peak Fire.

Cerro Pelado Fire

The map produced by an aircraft Tuesday night found incremental differences in the fire perimeter, but no large additional runs. Most of the changes were due to firefighters conducting tactical burning operations to tie in the fire’s edge to roads or other firelines.

The fire has burned 42,491 acres.

8:08 a.m. MDT May 10, 2022

Map Calf Cyn & Hermits Peak Fire 1050 pm May 9, 2022 — Map of the Calf Canyon Hermits Peak Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 10:24 p.m. MDT May 9, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before. The orange areas represent intense heat when the fire was mapped.

The Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire near Los Vegas, NM grew substantially in two areas Monday and had burned a total of 203,920 acres by evening. On the north side, the spot fire east of Highway 581 that was 200 acres Sunday night spread east for more than 5 miles and burned about 8,000 acres by Monday night. When the fire was mapped at 10:24 p.m. Monday firefighters were holding it at the 434 road.

On the southwest side 9 miles west of Las Vegas near the A18A road the blaze spread for another mile and a half to the south. Operations Section Chief Todd Abel said Monday evening that the fire in that area was still within contingency firelines that have been constructed further south. Hand crews and engines are in the area improving lines and protecting structures.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak Fire, including the most recent, click here.

On Monday there were scattered areas on the west side of the fire that were very active late in the afternoon.

The very strong wind prevented air tankers from working Monday, but Mr. Abel was gratified that a small Air Attack plane was able to find an altitude without too much turbulence and was able to reconnoiter and provide information to personnel on the ground. At one point we saw on an aircraft tracking site that the aircraft was orbiting at 20,000 feet, much higher than their usual operating altitude.

The Cerro Pelado Fire 7 miles southwest of Los Alamos was active Monday on the northeast and southeast sides. It was mapped Monday night at 42,491 acres, an increase of about 1,500 acres, and still had not crossed Highway 4.

Map Cerro Pelado Fire 1024 p.m. MDT May 9, 2022 — Map of the Cerro Pelado Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 10:24 p.m. MDT May 9, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before. The orange areas represent intense heat when the fire was mapped.

Nearly all of New Mexico is under a Red Flag Warning Tuesday due to strong winds and low humidity.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: