#Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire

[lajicarita]

Hermit Peak/Calf Canyon Fire and Luna Fire Draft Environmental Assessment

By KAY MATTHEWS Carson National Forest released the Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire and Luna Fire Post-Fire Recovery Project  on August 14. In the summer of 2022 the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire burned 340,000 acres in Mora, San Miguel, and Taos Counties. The Luna Fire burned 10,142 acres in October of 2020 in Mora County. The recovery work will occur…

View On WordPress

#Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire #Luna Fire

[thechembow]

U.S. stops controlled burns nationwide after New Mexico disaster

May 20, 2022 - Reuters

TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) - The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on Friday called a temporary nationwide halt to controlled burns meant to reduce fire risk after the agency accidentally started part of New Mexico's largest ever wildfire.

The Hermits Peak Calf Canyon fire has burned over 300,000 acres (123,000 hectares), destroyed up to 1,500 properties and displaced tens of thousands of people, and is still out of control...

Started “part of” New Mexico’s largest ever wildfire, or started the wildfire? Stopping “controlled burns” is a huge victory in the fight against wildfires! This is not the first wildfire that was started by US Forest Service. 

We exposed the prescribed burns being used to create a dreary, smoke filled summer last year in order to promote the idea of increased wildfires due to “climate change.” The USFS stopped disclosing when they were lighting them so that they could lie that the smoke was from wildfires hundreds of miles away and in the wrong direction of the wind, while closing forests due to “wildfire danger.” They did them at night so we would wake up to smoke-filled air. 

Now, with so much exposure and the public’s discovery that these fires are behind the massive destruction of property and the environment, USFS is finally coming to their senses (probably to avoid getting sued). Hopefully this is not temporary but marks the beginning of the end for a very flawed concept in forest management and wildfire prevention.

#wildfires #fires #new mexico #california #us forest service #USFS #hermits peak #calf canyon #controlled burns #prescribed burns #forest management #wildfire prevention

[focusonthegoodnews]

Fire crews rescue animals caught in Hermits Peak Calf Canyon fire

Fire crews rescue animals caught in Hermits Peak Calf Canyon fire

Good News Notes: “It was a close call for seven puppies and their mom after being caught in the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire. The dogs are lucky to be alive after they were found just feet from smoldering ash. In a picture captured by Aaron Abeyta, smoke is still coming from the ground as six puppies sleep peacefully. The seven mastiff puppies and their mom were caught up in the fire, like so…

View On WordPress

#Aaron Abeyta #Española Humane #fire crews #firefighters #forever homes #good news #happy #help #Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire #joy #kindness #kittens #livestock #Mastiff #Mattie Allen #mom #need #New Mexico #pet food donations #pets #positive #puppies #rescue animals #rescued #reunited #smoke #smoldering ash #spayed #unpredictable fire

[mapsontheweb]

Severe fire weather (high temps + low relative humidity + high winds) are driving the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak and Cerrado Pelado wildfires in northern central New Mexico.

by @WoodwellRisk

#maps #tw #new mexico #wildfires

[beardedmrbean]

After the U.S. government started the largest wildfire in New Mexico's recorded history in April, it is asking victims to share recovery costs on private land, jeopardizing relief efforts, according to residents and state officials.

The blaze was sparked by U.S. Forest Service (USFS) prescribed fires to reduce wildfire risk. The burns went out of control after a series of missteps, torching 432 residences and over 530 square miles (1373 square km) of mostly privately owned forests and meadows, much of it held by members of centuries-old Indo-Hispano ranching communities.

"Today I'm announcing the federal government's covering 100% of the cost," President Joe Biden said during a visit to New Mexico in June. Biden was announcing a disaster declaration that covered debris removal and emergency protective measures.

But federal cost-sharing statutes on other federal relief programs are limiting Biden's authority and exposing holes in the government safety net meant to help survivors and restore landscapes.

It is a system more Americans will turn to as extreme fires and flooding become the climate change norm.

"I DIDN'T CAUSE THIS DAMN FIRE"

Biden's measure was meant to bridge FEMA relief and a congressional bill that may pass in the fall to provide 100% federal compensation for losses from the so-called Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon fire.

Daniel Encinias was among survivors who met Biden and was told by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials he would get timely support at little or no cost.

He, his wife Lori, three teenage children, four dogs and eight cats are living in a camping trailer next to the ashes of their home in Tierra Monte, 35 miles northeast of Santa Fe.

Encinias submitted an application to the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/nm/newsroom/releases/?cid=NRCSEPRD1923027 to fix his well, but was told to share 25% of costs based on a federal statute that could not be waived as it did not fall under Biden's declaration.

Encinias said he was told by NRCS officials his application would be considered in September and recovery work would begin six to 12 months thereafter if he was accepted

So like many fire survivors in this low-income area who have no insurance, the rancher and retired electrician did the work himself.

"Why the hell am I going to pay anything when I didn't cause this damn fire?" said Encinias, 55, as he fed his cattle hay he was forced to buy after his baler was torched.

An official for the NRCS' local office in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where Encinias applied for support directed questions to the national office. Officials there did not respond to requests for comment.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

UNCERTAIN TIMELINE FOR RECOVERY RELIEF

Many fire-hit families cannot afford sharing at least 25% of costs on the USDA's Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/emergency_forest_restoration_program-fact_sheet.pdfwhich offers relief such as stabilization of burn areas prone to flash flooding, according to New Mexico State Forester Laura McCarthy. Residents sometimes own large areas of land passed down from 1800s Spanish-Mexican land grants while working blue-collar jobs.

"They're really struggling," said McCarthy.

That has left locals, state officials and federal agencies counting on cost shares to be dropped and passage of the congressional bill.

Democratic Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez sponsored the legislation which passed the House and will probably need help from Republicans in the Senate. The office of Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell did not immediately respond to a request for comment

Leger Fernandez is in talks with the USDA and White House on dropping cost shares and helped negotiate a waiver with the NRCS for flood mitigation work on private lands.

"The federal government burns your house down so they are responsible in my mind to pay 100% of the cost of rebuilding," said Leger Fernandez

Support cannot get to the 45-mile-long disaster https://www.yahoo.com/video/mountains-gone-grief-sacred-mexico-004919599.html area fast enough.

The blaze burned around 170 acres (68.8 hectares) of rancher Kenny Zamora's forest. His pastures in El Turquillo are covered with up to 2 feet of sludge after monsoon rains triggered debris flows on hillsides that no longer absorb water. The torrents have twice knocked down fences.

A retired employee of the USDA's Rural Development agency, Zamora applied for support from the USDA's Farms Service Agency (FSA) to feed his livestock.

The FSA office in Las Vegas told him he was not eligible. USDA officials told him the EFRP for the area has yet to be funded. He is paying for recovery work himself.

"If you don't have insurance you're pretty much on your own," said Zamora, 59, who like Encinias is considering joining a massive civil case that may be filed against the USFS.

The FSA Las Vegas office directed questions to State Executive Director Jonas Moya, who did not respond to a request for comment. The FSA's national office did not respond to requests for comment.

Climate change is worsening wildfires as ecosystems no longer have natural protections such as cooler nights to slow their spread. The destroyed landscapes are also less able to handle other disasters, such as floods https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_flood-after-fire_factsheet_nov20.pdf.

Two women and a man died after a flash flood swept through the burn scar northeast of Las Vegas on July 21.

In Tierra Monte, ash flows sent boulders tumbling below Encinias' trailer and drowned livestock.

FEMA has so far granted $4.2 million to 1,164 fire survivors, marking an average payout of $3,600. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday said FEMA granted her request to extend Biden's declaration to residents who have suffered damage from flooding and debris flows in wildfire burn scars.

For now, Encinias' family is getting by on a $37,000 maximum payout from FEMA for the loss of their 5-bedroom home. They also lost eight acres of forest, farm machinery and cars.

"I'm hoping that finally something works out where it helps the people," said Encinias.

#nunyas news #interesting

[wumblr]

Forest Service investigators said the Calf Canyon fire emerged from a “pile burn” that had been dormant from January until April, when smoke was reported from the area of the burn, which had concluded on Jan. 29. Crews monitored the 1.5-acre fire to make sure there were no signs of flames or heat at its edges, investigators said. On April 19 — 10 days after the smoke was reported — the fire reignited and escaped its containment lines.

A fuel spill bigger than the Valdez oil spill – but underground. An estimated 24 million gallons of jet fuel is migrating through Albuquerque’s aquifer towards one of the City’s biggest drinking water well fields. The Air Force ignored indications as far back as the early 1980s that there might be a problem with its underground fuel system until 1999, when it became painfully obvious. After 20 years, the Air Force has yet to fully delineate the plume of groundwater contamination and a final remedy has neither been evaluated nor implemented. There is no written work plan for completing the investigation or implementing cleanup of the groundwater contamination and no written schedule or enforceable milestone deadlines for doing so.

so i've been meaning to ask… can an oil spill migrate about 100mi underground over a period of about 40 years?

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Wildfires Continue to Burn Across New Mexico Early season wildfires continued to rage in the first week of May 2022 in northern New Mexico. The blazes have been driven by high winds, low humidity, and exceptionally dry tinder—grass, brush, and timber—that are providing ample fuel for burning. The fires have destroyed hundreds of structures and prompted the evacuation of thousands of homes. On May 3, 2022, seven large fires were still burning across the state. The natural-color image above was acquired on May 3 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. Earlier in the week, a few days of cooler, slightly more humid weather provided a brief respite before drier, windier conditions brought red flag warnings back to the state. More than a thousand firefighters are battling the Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak fire, two fires that merged on April 22-23 to form one of the largest wildfires in state history. As of May 3, the Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak complex had burned more than 145,000 acres northwest of the historic town of town of Las Vegas, New Mexico; the fire was 20 percent contained. The Hermits Peak fire started as a prescribed burn in part of the Santa Fe National Forest on April 6, but erratic, gusty winds blew it out of control. The Cerro Pelado fire burning southwest of Los Alamos started on April 22 and quickly spread across 5,000 acres, prompting evacuations of some nearby communities. As of May 3, the fire had burned more than 25,000 acres and was 10 percent contained. Incident commanders predicted extreme fire behavior to continue as high winds pushed the fire into extremely dry fuels to the northeast and southeast. As of May 2, the fire was burning about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Nearby Valles Caldera National Preserve and Bandelier National Monument were closed until further notice. About 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Las Vegas, the 60,000-acre Cooks Peak fire, which started on April 17, was 72 percent contained on May 3. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor on April 26, 2022, approximately 99 percent of the state was experiencing drought, with 83 percent facing extreme to exceptional dryness. New Mexico has had 211 fires so far this year, burning a total of 230,000 acres. In all of 2021, 672 fires burned nearly 124,000 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. MODIS sensors have also imaged burn scars from the New Mexico fires. Many NASA satellites and instruments are used to detect actively burning fires, track the transport of smoke, provide information for fire managers, and map the extent and severity of burn scars. Satellites are often the first to detect wildfires in remote regions. NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Sara E. Pratt.

#space #science #earth observatory #nasa #news #new mexico #environment #global warming #climate change #disaster #wildfires

[portlandnet]

#wildlandfire #resilience

[chadabler]

[mystlnewsonline]

Free Legal Clinic - Hermits Peak Calif Canyon Fire

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez and New Mexico Legal Aid Host a Free Legal Clinic for Those Affected by the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire New Mexico Legal Aid’s Volunteer Attorney Program is Providing Pro Bono Attorneys for this Event Las Vegas, NM (STL.News) This Friday, July 14, 2023, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez and New Mexico Legal Aid are hosting a free legal clinic for those who have been affected by the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire. Where: Highlands University, Student Union Building Ballroom; 800 National Ave., Las Vegas, NM 87701 When: Friday, July 14, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. “The Hermits Peak Calf Canyon fire devastated so many of our families, businesses, and communities,” said AG Torrez.  “We are happy to be partnering with Legal Aid for this clinic and will continue to create events that provide New Mexicans with tailored resources to aid in their recovery.  We have also created a dedicated team of advocates and attorneys who will be focused on this work for as long as it takes to help get these communities back on their feet.” This free legal clinic will provide a number of pro bono attorneys available to answer questions, help explain and guide residents through important forms and provide other legal services as needed by attendees. “We, the Volunteer Attorney Program and New Mexico Legal Aid as a whole want to help as many people as possible,” said Isabella Zayani, Pro Bono Coordinator for NMLA’s Volunteer Attorney Program.  “That’s the point of all of our legal clinics and fairs.  For this one, our focus is providing support and guidance to people who are seeking compensation for the losses they incurred.” SOURCE: New Mexico Attorney General Read the full article

[lajicarita]

To Thin or Not to Thin Still Being Argued

To Thin or Not to Thin Still Being Argued

By KAY MATTHEWS The recent devastating fires in New Mexico—Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon in the north and Black Fire in the south—have once again brought to light the dangerous conditions of our national forests due to a number of causes: a century of fire suppression, decades of drought, and the failure to reduce carbon emissions to mitigate a climate crisis. It has also brought to light a longtime…

View On WordPress

#Black Fire #Caldor Fire #Carl Anthony #Chellis Glendinning #Dr. Chad Hanson #Earth Island Institute #Greg Allen #Grizzly Flats #Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire #Ike DeVargas #J.R. Logan #Jemez Mountains #John Horning #John Muir Project #KCEI Cultural Energy #Southwest Jemez Mountains Landscape Restoration Project #WildEarth Guardians

[insideusnet]

New Mexico Seeks Changes to US Rules for Wildfire Claims : Inside US

New Mexico Seeks Changes to US Rules for Wildfire Claims : Inside US

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas is asking that changes be made to rules proposed by the U.S. government as it processes damage claims from a historic wildfire sparked by forest managers. Balderas filed comments on the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon Fire assistance regulations this week, outlining concerns over limitations on damages, the lack of a clear appeals…

View On WordPress

[euro-journal-english-news]

In New Mexico, Trying to Capitalize on Natural Beauty as Climate Change Disrupts It

In New Mexico, Trying to Capitalize on Natural Beauty as Climate Change Disrupts It

The Hermit’s Peak and Calf Canyon fires started in April, after the U.S. Forest Service conducted what was supposed to have been a controlled burn to thin the dense undergrowth. High winds whipped both fires into a megacomplex that ultimately torched 342,000 acres across three counties, and wasn’t fully controlled until mid-August. Then came the flooding. With no trees to hold back the mountains,…

View On WordPress

[longzip]

Breaking newsfire los angeles

#Breaking newsfire los angeles code

#Breaking newsfire los angeles professional

The union that represents firefighters at the battalion chief rank and below declined to comment. League’s attorney, John Pozza, did not respond to messages seeking comment. There is no requirement for a clear connection between the offense and employment.” The handbook does not prescribe specific disciplines for that misconduct. The conviction may be based on a plea or verdict of guilty or a plea of nolo contendere. The state supervisors’ handbook states, “An employee’s conviction of any felony, or any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, constitutes the basis for discipline.

#Breaking newsfire los angeles code

We will determine (the) next steps in our administrative process at the appropriate time,” Heggie said.Ī December 2021 Leadership Accountability Report issued by the department states that Cal Fire employees are responsible for reviewing a code of conduct and a “Departmental Incompatible Activities Statement,” though that report does not address any specifics on criminal behavior of workers. “Cal Fire is conducting an internal investigation and is in communication with the District Attorney’s office regarding its criminal investigation.

#Breaking newsfire los angeles professional

In 2020, wildfires have cost about $16.5 billion in damages.Īs temperatures increase due to climate change, experts expect more natural disasters like wildfires.Yet despite repeated inquiries from the Southern California News Group, officials with the sprawling department have declined to say whether they have any specific policy describing what type of misconduct could result in more serious discipline than suspension, or how common it is for a firefighter to continue to work despite criminal convictions.īattalion Chief Jon Heggie, a Cal Fire spokesman, said in a written statement that the department “expects its employees to uphold standards of professional conduct both on- and off-duty.” He said the agency is aware of the current criminal case against League and is monitoring it closely. That represents a 17% increase from 2019 and a 223% increase since reporting started in 1983. In 2021, there were 58,985 wildfires that burned 7.1 million acres of land in the U.S. These fires burned 1,120,330 acres, an average of 50.2 acres per fire. From January through April, the National Centers for Environmental Information recorded 22,324 fires. has seen an uptick in fires, mostly due to rising temperatures. They represent some of the largest wildfires in the state's history. Both fires have burned a combined 605,000 acres. New Mexico has two wildfires burning: the Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak Fire in the Santa Fe National Forest and the Black Fire in the Gila National Forest. The southwest states of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico have also faced heat warnings. Warnings of excessive heat and prime wildfire conditions went out to the Death Valley region in recent weeks. Parts of the weekend saw record-breaking temperatures in the 100s in the region. Hesperia, a city located about 80 miles east of Los Angeles, faced excessive heat starting on Thursday. Krn /GYeNI6zFci- San Bernardino County Fire June 7, 2022 Still unified with Multiple area agencies assisting. 115 firefighters, 3 crews, 5 chief officers, 2 dozers, 23 brush engines, 1 type one, 6 water tenders assigned. #HesperiaFire (Update): Hesperia IC advising updated size approx 95 acres 0% containment.

#Breaking newsfire los angeles

[entoman-created-by-the-tallgreys]

#News #Red Pill

[tearsinthemist]