Map of the Calf Canyon Fire showing the perimeter in red at 10:45 p.m. MDT April 23, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:45 a.m. MDT April 24.
As the wind speeds decreased from the gale force conditions seen Friday, firefighters on the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires that burned together were able to re-engage Saturday. The blazes are about 10 miles north of Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Crews are working on structure protection out ahead of the fire, removing fuel near homes in order to reduce their vulnerability. Dozers are putting in fire line where the terrain permits and the seven hand crews are working in steeper, less rocky areas.
Even though the fires have merged they are still being treated separately in reports. The combined size determined by a mapping flight at 10:45 p.m. Saturday was 54,004 acres.
“We don’t have enough resources to do everything we want to do at one time so we have to prioritize the resources we have at the right location,” said Incident Commander Carl Schwope in a briefing Saturday evening.
Hermits Peak Fire April 18, 2022 before it merged with the Calf Canyon Fire. By @jennalunaphoto
Reports filed Friday night showed that only seven hand crews were assigned and only one of those was a higher qualified Type 1 crew. A total of 526 personnel were on the fire.
The Incident Management Team that is handling both incidents has ordered “hundreds” of resources, but those orders can only be filled if the personnel and equipment are available.
As of Saturday evening the fire had not crossed the 518 road near the junction of road 161, but it was close and the fire was active in that area.
The Hermits Peak Fire was caused by a prescribed fire that escaped on the Santa Fe National Forest at 4:30 p.m. April 6, 2022. No cause has been released for the Calf Canyon Fire first reported on April 19.
Cooks Peak Fire
The Cooks Peak Fire nine miles south of Cimarron, NM was less active than the Calf Canyon Fire, but its spread was also slowed by a decrease in winds. A mapping flight Saturday night determined it had grown to 51,982 acres.
Map of the Cooks Peak Fire showing the perimeter in red at 1:30 a.m. MDT April 24, 2022. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:45 a.m. MDT April 24.
Reports submitted Friday evening showed there were only nine hand crews assigned, with one being a highest qualified Type 1 crew. A total of 383 personnel were on the fire.
8:26 a.m. MDT April 23, 2022
Map of the Calf Canyon & Hermits Peak Fires. The red lines were mapped by an aircraft at 9:10 p.m. MDT April 22, 2022. The white lines were the perimeters about 24 hours before. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite as late as 3:07 a.m.
Strong winds and low humidities combined to cause two fires to merge and spread 10 miles through dry vegetation in Northern New Mexico Friday. A third fire was also very active. Those fires have now burned a total of approximately 88,000 acres.
Extreme fire weather predicted with wind gusts more than 50 mph
Updated 4:14 p.m. MDT April 22, 2022
Satellite photo, showing smoke from the Cooks Peak and Calf Canyon Fires in New Mexico at 3:36 p.m. MDT April 22, 2022. NOAA.
Additional evacuations have been ordered for the Calf Canyon and the nearby Hermits Peak Fires in Northern New Mexico. They were posted at 1 p.m. April 22 by San Miguel and mora Counties in New Mexico. A map is available on Facebook but it is almost undecipherable. Below is a list of the areas affected.
Calf fire evacuations, 1 p.m. MDT April 22, 2022
The satellite photo above shows a large plume of smoke from the Calf Canyon Fire which was blowing northeast over the Cooks Fire when the photo was taken at 3:36 p.m. MDT Friday. It appears that pyrocumulus was forming over the Cooks Peak Fire, indicating extreme fire behavior.
At 3:04 p.m. MT Friday the Bartley weather station north of the Calf Fire recorded 17 mph winds gusting from the south at 35 mph. The relative humidity was 11 percent.
Smoke maps are posted in another article on Wildfire Today.
9 a.m. MDT April 22, 2022
Map of fires in Northern New Mexico, 3:24 a.m. MDT April 22, 2022.
The critical and extreme fire weather predicted for areas in New Mexico and Colorado on Friday will affect the three existing wildfires in Northern New Mexico on Friday and Saturday.
The Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fires are 24 and 27 miles, respectively, east of Santa Fe, and are northwest of Las Vegas, NM.
The Calf Canyon Fire was very active Thursday, creating a large smoke plume as it spread primarily north and northeast. It was listed at 2,877 acres Thursday night.
The Hermits Peak Fire has been fairly quiet in recent days and is nearing containment. The strong winds will test the fire lines on the 7,573-acre blaze.
The 21,000-acre Cooks Peak Fire 13 miles south of Cimarron was also very active Thursday as it grew to the north and northeast.
The Storm Prediction Center’s forecast for Northeast New Mexico and Eastern Colorado on Friday is for “5-15 percent minimum RH. At the same time, 30-40 mph sustained south-southwesterly surface winds (with widespread gusts of 50-60 mph) will overspread critically dry fuels.” There is a chance for scattered thunderstorms with lightning and little or no rain.
The specific forecast for the Calf Canyon Fire calls for southwest winds of 46 mph gusting up to 64 mph with relative humidity in the teens and 20s. It will also be very windy on Saturday. Conditions on the Cooks Peak Fire will be similar, but with the humidity dropping into the single digits.
The southwest winds on Friday will shift to come out of the west-southwest Friday night, then from the west on Saturday. The speeds will decrease Friday night and Saturday, but will still be sustained in the mid-20s with gusts in the 30s.
These dangerous conditions will be conducive to significant spreading of the Cooks Peak and Calf Canyon Fires to the northeast and east.
Forecast for the area near the Cooks Peak Fire. NWS.
3-D Map of the Hermits Peak Fire, looking west-southwest. The red line represents the perimeter at 7:30 p.m. April 13, 2022. The white line was the perimeter at 3 a.m. MDT April 13, 2022.
Operations Section Chief Shilow Norton said that decreasing winds on Wednesday allowed firefighters to make significant progress on the Hermits Peak Fire 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico. They used helicopters to drop water on the southeast side of the fire to support dozers as they constructed fire line. Crews nearly completed that line and hand crews worked through the night on steep portions of the east end that were inaccessible to dozers.
On the northeast side, south of the 266 Road and the Sapello River, firefighters were able to put in fire line in areas where the fire had moved out of the timber and into grass. Dozers also put in direct fireline south and southwest of San Ignacio.
Mapping Wednesday evening determined that the fire had burned about 7,000 acres.
Sheriff Chris Lopez said initial assessments have found five outbuildings that were destroyed but have not seen any homes that burned.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect Thursday for southwest winds 20 to 30 mph gusting to 40 with relative humidity of 4 to 10 percent.
12:03 p.m. MDT April 13, 2022
3-D Map Hermits Peak Fire. Looking west-southwest at 3 a.m. April 13, 2022.
The Hermits Peak Fire spread nearly four miles to the east on Tuesday, growing to 6,276 acres by Tuesday night according to the Santa Fe National Forest. (Reports from other government sources put it at 7,900 acres.) The fire is 12 miles northeast of Las Vegas, New Mexico. The east side of the fire has moved into flatter terrain, providing better access for firefighters. But until the wind speeds decrease, they will primarily be following the fire, picking up a few sections of the flanks as the head continues to move.
In a Wednesday morning briefing Operations Section Chief Shilow Norton said winds with sustained speeds of 48 mph gusting to 60 caused spot fires east of the fire Monday night. The fire continued to spread to the east-northeast on Tuesday and moved through the community of Las Dispensas. The 20 homes there had been prepped by firefighters in the last few days to reduce the chance of them burning. Mr. Norton said firefighters had to leave when the fire came through on Tuesday and later came back, but to his knowledge all of the homes were saved. The fire also impacted San Ignacio and Las Tusas. Firefighters are having some success, he said, in holding the northeast side of the fire in several places in the drainage along the Sapello River.
To see all articles about the Hermits Peak Fire on Wildfire Today, including the most recent, click HERE.
When the wind dies down, said Mr. Norton, previously completed fuel treatments east of the fire southwest of Sapello could be helpful in slowing the spread, allowing firefighters to take direct action. But with 48 mph winds, virtually nothing will stop the head of the fire. The wind has made it impossible for air tankers and helicopters to be effective.
Map, Hermits Peak Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 3 a.m. MDT April 13, 2022. The white line was the perimeter at about 9 a.m. April 12, 2022.
The extreme fire activity prompted additional evacuations affecting the Canoncito area in the Manuelitas Creek drainage, locations near Manuelitas, and north of Gallinas.
Evacuations
The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office has issued 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
Red Flag Warnings are again in place for strong winds and low humidity. After a hard freeze Wednesday morning, it will be sunny and cool, with high temperatures far below normal.
3-D Map of the Hermits Peak Fire at about 9 a.m. April 12, 2022. The yellow line within the fire was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
The Hermits Peak Fire 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico ran to the northeast Monday, moving out of the Santa Fe National Forest onto private land. The Incident Management Team said Monday afternoon it had burned 1,280 acres and a mapping flight that night put it at about 1,600 acres. Satellite data at 3:11 a.m. Tuesday indicated that it continued to spread significantly overnight. At about noon on Tuesday the Incident Management Team said it had burned 1,908 acres.
To see all articles about the Hermits Peak Fire on Wildfire Today, including the most recent, click HERE.
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.
The Incident Management Team reports that 600 structures are threatened and none have been destroyed. Resources assigned include 5 hand crews, 13 fire engines, and 3 helicopters for a total of 244 personnel.
Map of the Hermits Peak Fire. The red line was the approximate perimeter at about 9 a.m. April 12, 2022. The yellow line within the burn was the approximate perimeter early in the morning April 11. The straighter yellow line is the boundary of the Santa Fe National Forest.
The area continues to be under a Red Flag Warning Tuesday and Wednesday. According to the Red Flag Warning the winds will be 30 to 45 mph out of the southwest gusting to 65 mph Tuesday, and 25 to 35 mph from the west with gusts to 40 on Wednesday. The relative humidity will be 10 to 15 percent Tuesday, dropping to 4 to 10 percent Wednesday. The National Weather Service forecast for the fire area agrees. The wind will be very strong Tuesday and Wednesday, and will slow to 10 to 20 mph Thursday through Sunday. The direction will be generally from the west the entire period and the relative humidity will be about 9 percent.
Under these weather conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday firefighting aircraft may not be able to effectively and safely operate, and firefighters can’t take direction on the head of the fire.
The Santa Fe National Forest announced today that a prescribed fire planned for the Santa Fe municipal watershed has been postponed.
Hermits Peak Fire, April 10, 2022. USFS.
We will update this article as more information becomes available.
Updated at 6:45 p.m. MDT April 11, 2022
The red dots on the map represent heat detected by satellites on the Hermits Peak Fire at 2:02 p.m. MDT April 11, 2022. The red line was the approximate perimeter early Monday morning.
At 1:30 p.m. Monday, strong winds pushing the Hermit Fire to the northeast prompted the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the US Forest Service, to order an immediate full evacuation of Las Dispensas, Pendaries, Las Tusas, San Ignaciao, and a “high alert warning” for the Canoncito area.
At 2:02 p.m. Monday, satellites detected heat from the fire very close to the border of the Santa Fe National Forest as it was spreading to the northeast. If that rate of spread continued it most likely moved out of the National Forest onto private land later in the afternoon.
Hermits Peak Fire, the morning of April 10, 2022. USFS photo.
Information released from the Incident Management Team for the Hermits Peak Fire at approximately 1:30 p.m. MDT on Sunday, stated that voluntary evacuations are in effect for three communities:
In coordination with the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, voluntary evacuations for the communities of San Ignacio, Las Dispensas and Pendaries have been put in place. Forecasted winds exceeding 60 mph have been predicted for today. Increasing winds each day through next week can cause holding concerns, drier weather is forecasted into next week and a RED FLAG WARNING is in effect for the fire area today until 8 pm.
The Incident Management Teams will continue using full suppression strategy utilizing hand crews and assessing the best strategy to engage the fire during the high wind period. The Hermits Peak Fire is in steep, rugged, terrain with limited access by vehicle. Firefighters are working to keep the fire out of Beaver Creek and out of the Gallinas Municipal Watershed.
Unofficial map of the Hermits Peak Fire area showing the communities of San Ignacio, Las Dispensas and Pendaries.
Early Sunday morning the fire was about 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico and according to the US Forest Service had burned 540 acres.
To see all articles about the Hermits Peak Fire on Wildfire Today, including the most recent, click HERE.
A Type 2 Incident Management Team, Southwest Team 4 with Incident Commander Aaron Hulburd, will assume command on Monday, April 11.
On Sunday resources assigned to the fire included 4 hotshot crews, 1 Type 2 IA crew, 8 fire engines, 1 Type 1 helicopter, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 1 Type 3 helicopter, 1 Rapid Extraction Module, and 1 Tactical Water Tender, for a total of 163 personnel.
Updated 12:05 p.m. MDT April 10, 2022
Map showing the location of the Hermits Peak Fire at 8:30 a.m. MDT April 10, 2022.
Hermits Peak Fire
Most of the Hermits Peak Fire in the Santa Fe National Forest 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico is spreading in the Pecos Wilderness. While the transition is occurring from the Type 3 Incident Management Team to the incoming Type 2 Team very little current information is available. An unofficial estimate of the size after a mapping flight early Sunday morning puts it at more than 500 acres.
The weather will challenge firefighters for the next several days, with looming Red Flag Warnings Sunday and Monday and a Fire Weather Watch on Tuesday. The spot weather forecast for Sunday is for 10 to 14 percent relative humidity, an unstable atmosphere, the possibility of erratic, downburst winds, and general 22 to 30 mph winds gusting in the afternoon out of the west to 60 mph along ridges. Strong winds and low humidities will continue Sunday night and Monday. A longer range forecast predicts strong winds and low humidities persisting into Saturday, April 15.
The Incident Management Team said the fire could potentially spread in all directions on Sunday due to the predicted wind and topography.
The Hermits Peak Fire is a result of the Las Dispensas prescribed fire spreading out of control at 4:30 p.m. on April 6.
Overflow Fire
Another escaped prescribed fire, the Overflow Fire 10 miles southeast of Roswell, New Mexico, is burning in lighter fuels than the Hermits Peak Fire. Sunday morning it is still listed at 1,900 acres as the firefighters move into the mopup phase. Resources for the fire Sunday include five engines, two hotshot crews, and one bulldozer. Air support resources remain on standby.
Map of the Overflow Fire, April 9, 2022. BLM.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect Sunday in Southeast New Mexico due to expected strong winds and low relative humidity. Monday’s forecast predicts similar conditions, with the Red Flag Warning remaining in place.
12:04 MDT April 9, 2022
Map showing location of two escaped prescribed fires in New Mexico (at the red arrows).
Two prescribed fire projects in New Mexico have escaped and were declared as wildfires.
Hermits Peak
The Hermits Peak Fire on the Santa Fe National Forest is 29 miles east of Santa Fe and 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico. It escaped from the Las Dispensas prescribed fire at 4:30 p.m. on April 6 after the project was ignited late that morning. On Friday the U.S. Forest Service said it had burned approximately 350 acres after having been declared a wildfire. It is burning in mixed conifer in steep, rugged terrain. A Type 3 Incident Management Team assumed command on April 8 with the objective of full suppression. A Type 2 IMT, Southwest Team 4 with Incident Commander Aaron Hulburd, has been ordered and will inbrief at 9 a.m. Sunday.
It is moving toward the Pecos Wilderness. As of April 8 there were no direct threats to private property.
Hermits Peak Fire, April 8, 2022. USFS photo.Map showing the location of the Hermits Peak Fire at 10 p.m. MDT April 8, 2022.
In a statement released on April 6, the U.S. Forest Service said, “Although forecasted weather conditions were within parameters for the prescribed burn, unexpected erratic winds in the late afternoon caused multiple spot fires that spread outside the project boundary.”
Overflow Fire
The Overflow Fire has burned approximately 1,900 acres of salt cedar and grass 10 miles southeast of Roswell, New Mexico. The Bureau of Land Management was conducting a prescribed fire along the Pecos River corridor in Chaves County on April 7 when, the agency said, “an unexpected fire whirl carried fire across the control lines.” It was declared a wildfire at 1:25 p.m. April 7 and the strategy is full suppression. It has spread onto Federal, State and private lands.
Map showing heat detected on the Overflow Fire by satellites as late at 2:55 p.m. MDT April 8, 2022.
As of April 8 resources on the incident included six engines, two hotshot crews, and overhead from Chaves County, Carlsbad Fire Department, Ruidoso Fire Department, New Mexico Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Weather
Early in the morning on April 6 The National Weather Service said there would be strong winds across Central and Western New Mexico that day. They issued a wind advisory for “northwest and central portions of the area” in effect from 2 to 7 p.m.
Another windy day is forecast across central and western #NM with areas of blowing dust developing during the afternoon hours. A Wind Advisory is in effect from 2-7PM MDT for northwest and central portions of the area, including the #Albuquerque Metro. #nmwxpic.twitter.com/MyvOcMhoQb
The spot weather forecast for the Las Dispensas prescribed fire which became the Hermits Peak wildfire was issued at 8:54 a.m. MDT April 6, a few hours before it was ignited. It predicted clear skies, 9 to 13 percent relative humidity, and winds at 20 feet to be out of the west at 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph possible.
A spot weather forecast for the Overflow prescribed fire issued the previous evening predicted for the next day clear skies, 7 percent relative humidity, and “north winds 5 to 6 mph shifting to the south 7 to 13 mph late in the morning.”
