New Mexico Wildfires: President Biden declares disaster as Calf Canyon fire burns 160,000 acres

YOU’RE WATCHING KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS. OF COURSE WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO RNBU THROUGHOUT OUR STATE DEVASTATING SCENES AS WE CONTINUE TO TRACK FIREFIGHTING EFFORTS DARLENE MELENDEZ JOINS US AGAIN NOW WITH AN UPDATE ON THE WORK THEY’RE PUTTING IN DARLENE. HEY THERE, RON. WELL, AS WE MENTIONED TSEHO CONDITIONS JUST KEEP CHANGING. WE JUST FELT ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE REALLY STRONG GUSTS OF WINDS THAT KELLY WAS TALKING ABOUT HERE IN LAS VEGAS. SO THATS I DEFINITELY BLOWING THROUGH THAT THICK SMOKE IN THE AIR HERE. WE’RE SINEEG THOSE DARK PLUMES OF SMOKE AROUND US. IT IS REALLY HAZY. AND AGAIN, IT JUST SMELLS SO MUCH LIKE SMOKE AS FIREFIGHTERS DO CONTINUE THEIR FIREFIGHT IN THIS COMBINED FIRE. SO LET’S GET AN UPDATE ON THIS FIRE NEAR US. WE’RE TALNGKI ABOUT THE CAP CANYON HERMIT’S PEAK FIRE. IN A NORTHERN NEW MEXICO IT IS THE LARGEST WILDFIRE INHE T COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. IT HAS BURNED OVER A HUNDRED AND SIXTY ACRES. IT IS JUST 20% CONTAINED. WE ARE CHECKING EVACUATIONS FOR YOU. THEY’RE SCROLLING THERE AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP YOUR EEY ON THAT THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS YOU ARE WONDERING ABOUT YROU AREA SHELTERS ARE OPEN UP IN YESCO HIGH SCHOOL THE RED RIVER CONVENTION CENTER TAOS COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS AND THE GLORIETTA ADVENTURE PARK NOW, THIS IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL WILDFIRES THAT ARE BURNING THROUGHOUT THE STATE RIGHT NOW. SO LET’S GET YOU A CHECK ON THOSE THE SETUP ELADO FIRE THAT FIRE. HAMMOND SPRINGS, IT IS A 13% CONTAINED IT HAS CHARRED MORE THAN 26,000 ACRES. THERE’S A MEETINGN O THIS FIRE TONIGHT AT FIVE ON FACEBOOK CREWS ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON THE COOK’’ PEAK FIRE. THAT IS NORTH OF MORA. IT IS NOW 89% CONTAINED IT IS BURNED MORE THAN 59,000 ACRES WNO RIGHT NOW THERE ARE MORE THAN 1200 PERSONNEL FIGHTING FISRE BOTH ON THE GROUND AND IN THE AIR IT REALLY IS A JOINT EFFORT HERE OUR ANCHOR SAWAN. A LENINGER. I GOT A GOOD VIEW FOR US AND SHE EX PLAINS HOW AIR CWSRE HAVE A STRATEGY WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING A FULL. ALL ON THESE FLAMES RELIEF FROM THE AIR IS A MUCH-NEEDED TLOO WH IENT COMES TO WILDFIRES AIR CRUISE PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN HELPING STOP THIS PART OF FLAMES AND PROTECTING HOMES. IT’S A IT’S A MONSTER FIRE AND IT’S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME THAT MONSTER STILL GOING STRONG, BUT CRUISE DURING THEIR PART IN TEAMING IT FROM ABOVE OUR CAMERAS CAPTURING THEM DROPPGIN WATER THIS AFTERNOON. THE SCOOPERS WERE USED FIRST TO TRY AND SLOW THE ADVANCING WILDFIRE THESE AIRCRT TASK WITH DROPPING WATER ON THE FIRE TO COOL IT DOWN MAKGIN IT LESS INNSTEE GIVING FIRE CRUISE TIME TO PREPARE A CONTAINMENT LAND ON THE GROUND. THE AIR TANKERS WERE USED TO CREATE A RETARDANT LINE ON TOP OF JUST WEST OF TOWN THE RETARDANT IS THAT REDDISH PINK SUBSTANCE THAT CREATES A SECOND CONTAINMENT LINE. MEANING THEY HAVE A BACKUP IN PLEAC IN CASE FLAMES MOVE PAST THAT FIRST CONTAINMENT LINE THAT GROUND CREWS MADE THEN THEY USE BUCKET SHIPS HELICOPTERS OF DIFFERENT SIZES WHIT BUCKETS OF DIFFERTEN SIZES DIP INTO A LAKE OR POND AND THEN FILL THOSE BUCKETS WITH WERAT AND AND DROP THAT ON A HOT SPOT TO COOLT I DOWN A SKY SEVEN CAPTURING THIS BUCKET FILLING UP AT A NEARBY LAKE. THESE DROPS CAN HELP COOL DOWN HOT SPOTS. ALLOWING GROUND CREWS TO GET IN AND DIRECTLY ATTACK THE FIRE. KEEP IN MIND THESE HELICOPTERS AND PLANES CAN ONLY BE USED IF WEATHER CONDITIONS COOPERATE MEANING IF IT’S TOO WINDY. THEY’LLE B GROUNDED IN SKY 7100 KOHT ACTION 7 NEWS BACK TO YOU. AND CRUZ DO SAY IF THEIR AIRCRAFTS DO GET GROUNDED LIKE WE’VE BEEN TELLING YOU THIS WEATHER IS SO VOLATILE DISCUSS JUST PICKP U HERE RIGHT NOW IF THEY’RE AIRCRAFTS DO GET GROUNDED THAT MAKES IT SO MUCH HARDER FOR TSEHO FIRE CREWS FIGHTING THE FIRE ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THEY’LL HAVE SCALE IT BACK THEIR FIREFIGHT AND THAT MEANS THAT FIRE WOULD BE LEFT TO BURN UNCHECKED. WELLS A THESE FIRES DO CONTINUE A BIG CONCERN FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EVACUATING OR ON STANDBY TO BE EVACUATING TO BE EVACUATED IS ATWH DO THEY DO WHIT THEIR PETS NOT ALL SHELTERS AOWLL THEM, BUT DON’T WORRY THERE ARE RESOURCES FOR YOU. SO WE GOT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE TODAY THE GLORIETTA CENTER IT IS TAKING IN EVACUEES MOSTLY FROM THE CALF CANYON AND HERMIT’S PEAK FIRE. THEY’RE TAKING IN BOTH HUMAN AND HEAD EVACUEES. IT’S A SIMPLE PROCESS WHEN PEOPLE ARRIVE AT THE CENTER WITH THEIR PETS THEY CAN CHOEOS TO HAVE THEIR PETS IN KENNELS OUTSIDE THEIR ROOM DOORS OR AT A POP-UP SHELTER THAT THEY’VE BUILT ON SITE. OF PEOPLE COME HERE ARE SHAKING AND YOU KWNO AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS SOMETIMES AND WE TRY TO PROVIDE COMRTFO AND GIVEN ASSURANCE THAT THEIR ANIMAL IS GOING TO BE TAKING CARE OF OVER HERE AND THEN WE HEAV A PLACE FOR THEM TO COME AND NOT BE AFRAID TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES. AND WE’LL DO THE BEST WE CAN. THEY REALLY WANT TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS IT CAN BE THEY’LL EVEN HELP WITH WALKS AND FEEDING AND IF YOU ACTUALLY WANT. HELP THEM. YOU WANT TO HELP THEM HELP THE PETS YOU CAN THEY’RE NOT GNGOI TO TURN AWAY ANY PET RELATED DONATIONS. PEOPLE IN THIS AREA IF YOU WANT TO HELPS U DONATIONS, THEY WILL GLADLY ACCEPT ANYTHING YOU HAVE NOW. IT’S NOT JUST FAMILIES WITH PETS THAT ARE GETTING HELP. IT IS ALSO PETS WITHOUT FAMILIES ESTHE SANTA FE. ANIMAL SHELTERS WELCOMING AND WELCOMING IN DOZSEN OF ANIMALS FROM THE FAIRGROUNDS AS WELL AS STRAYS THAT ARE ESCAPGIN ALL OF THESE FIRES. THEY’RE ALSO OFFERING CAT LITTER AND CAT AND DOG FOOD FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT. THIS IS DESPITE THEM BEING AT MAXIMUM CAPACITY. THE SHELTER HAS EVEN CLEARED SOME OF ITS CURRENT ANIMALS SENDING THEM TO UTAH TO MAKE ROOM. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT’S TRULY SPINIRING IN THIS MOMTEN IS TO SEE THE COORDINATION AND HOW QUICKLY PEOPLE HAVE MOBILIZ TEDO HELP THE PETS OF OUR COMMUNITY. IT’S REALLY INSPIRING. AND THE SHELTER IS ALSO WORKING WITH THE GLORIETTA CONFERENCE CENTER BY GIVING CRATES AND KENNELS TO THE DOGS THERE. WEAW S SOME OF THOSE TODAY. WELL NEW MEXICO EDITS I JOINING A NEW COMPETITION OFF THE PITCH. THEY ARE HOSTING A TOILETRY DRIVEOR F FAMILIES IMPACTED BY THESE WILDFIRES DROP OFF ITEMS ATHE T TEAM STORE UNTIL TOMORROW AT 2 PM UNIDTE WILL THEN DROP OFF THEIR VAN OR GO IN THEIR VAN AND HAND DELIVER ALL OF THESE ITEMS. NOW YOU CAN DONATE A LOT OF THINGS YOU CAN DONEAT FOOD DRINKS CLOTHING DIAPERS HYGIENE ITEMS AT THE SANTA FE FIRE STATION THAT IS FROM EIGHT TO FIVE THE SANTA THE STATE EMOYEEPL CREDIT UNION IS ALSO COLLECTING DONATIONS TO GIVE TO THE STAAN FE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FOOD DEPOT. THEY ARE OUT FIGHTING IN LAS VEGAS WITH TSHI FINDING A LONG SIDE FIREFIGHTERS BY COLLECTING ITEMS FOR THEM. THEY ARE COLLECTING CASH ON PERISHABLE FOODS BLANKETSND A BOTTLED WATER AND ALL OF THIS CAN TO BRANCHES WHILE THE FOOD DEPOT IS TRAVELING TO CITY OAKS IN SANTA FE TOMORROW FROM 11:30 TO 1:00. THEY WILL ALSO BE IN CARONY ON FRIDAY AT THE SAME TIME. YOU CAN SEE BOTH OF YOUR THOSE ADDRESSES ON YOUR SCREEN THERE. THAT ISHE WRE YOU CAN GO TO COLLECT OR TO DONATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS NOW AS I DO SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS. I WANT US TO TAKE A LOOK HERE OMFR THE SKY. IT’S TERRIFYING VIDEO FROM NOAH’S WEST SATELLITE. YOU NCA SEE THE FIRES JUST REALLY HIGH UP FROM HERE JUST SHOWING US HOW FAR REACHING ALL OF THIS IS YEAH, THAT’S REALLY TELLING THERE. YOU KNOW, WE SEE SO MUCH OF IT THE PERSPECTIVE KELLY FROMHE T GROUND. WE SEE ABOVE YOU REALLY SEE THE DEVASTATION AND HOW IT STRETCHES AND I WILLAY S SATELLITE HAS BECOME A VERY VALUABLE TOOL IN GETTING TO TSEHE FIRES AS QUKLICY AS POSSIBLE ON SOME OF OUR WINDIEST DAYS SO FAR THIS SPRING SOME OF THOSE HOT SPOTS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED ON SATELLITE BEFORE ANYONE HAS REPORTED THEM FROM THE GROUND SO THAT WAY THE METEOROLOGISTS ARE ABLE TO GET IN CONTACT WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND FIREFIGHTERS AND HOPEFUYLL SOMEF O THOSE FIRES OUT BEFORE THEY BECOME THESE RANGGI MONSTERS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE WITH THE CERRO PALLADO FIRE AND THE CALF CANYONFIRE THAT WOULD OF COURSE MERGE WITH HERMIT’S PEAK. SO WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT HERE IS REPRESENTATION OF THE SMOKE AND THAT BRIGHT PINK YOU SEE IS WHERE THE SMOKE IS THICKEST DARLEEN WAS TALNGKI ABOUT THAT SMOKE PUSHING INTO LAS VEGAS AND SURE ENOUGH. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE SINEEG HERE. NOW AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FORECAST IMAGERY INTO LATER THIS EVENIN IG,T LOOKS LIKE WINDS WILL BECOME A LITTLE MORE NORTHWEST EARLY AND START TO PUSH THAT SMOKE TOWARD T EAST AND THEN IT’S EXPECTED TO SETTLE IN RIGHT AROUND LAS VEGAS INTO EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. OF COURSE, WE’VE GOT THOSE GUSTY WINDS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW THE RED FLAG WARNING FOR FIRE DANGER IS SET TO EXPEIR AT 9 PM TONIGHT SO LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF IN THE ND

New Mexico Wildfires: President Biden declares disaster as Calf Canyon fire burns 160,000 acres

Updated: 7:36 PM MDT May 4, 2022

Residents in the City of Las Vegas, New Mexico have been watching aircraft in the area fight a growing wildfire that has burned hundreds of thousands of acres, destroyed about 170 homes and continues to grow. Officials say winds could push the fire closer to Las Vegas. Calf Canyon FireCalf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire InformationAcres: 160.104 acresContainment: 20%Start Date: April 19, 2022Cause: Under investigationLocation: Located near Gallinas CanyonFuels: Mixed coniferRelated Video: On the front lines with fire crews battling the Calf Canyon Fire EvacuationsMandatory evacuations have been issued for the following areas:San Miguel County: Big Pine, Canovas Canyon, Porvenir Canyon, El Porvenir, Lower Canyon Road, Gallinas, Trout Springs, San Ignacio, Lone Pine Mesa, Chavez, Canoncito, Pendaries Village, Pendaries Valley East, Rociada, Upper Rociada, Tierra Monte Canon, La Canada, Las Tusas and Manuelitas. Mineral Hill, San Pablo, and San Geronimo are also on Mandatory evacuations.City of Las Vegas: Luna and Cinder neighborhoods are on a mandatory evacuation. The areas of Creston, Taylor Wells and Bibb are on a “set” status.West Las Vegas, East Cinder and Romeroville are now in “Ready” evacuation status.Mora County: Penaso Blanco, South Carmen, Ledoux, Upper Morphy, Santiago Creek, Abuelo Puertocito, Rito, Cebolla, Buena Vista, Golondrinas, Mora, Rainsville, West Holman and Chacon are under mandatory evacuations in Mora County. Evacuees leaving Mora must take Highways 434, 442, or 518 north to Taos. These roads will be utilized for evacuation only and no re-entry allowed. Evacuation Shelter InformationThose who are evacuated can report to the following emergency shelters:Taos Agricultural Center – 202 Chamisa Rd, Taos, NMPenasco Schools – 13 Old School Road, Penasco, NMMemorial Middle School – 947 Legion Drive, Las VegasWagon Mound Schools – 300 Park Ave, Wagon MoundGlorieta Camp, 11 State Road 50, Glorieta, NMNew Mexico State Parks ClosuresNew Mexico State Parks have closed the following parks due to ongoing wildfires until further notice:Mesilla Valley State ParkCoyote Creek State ParkMorphy Lake State ParkCerro Pelado FireCerro Pelado Fire InformationAcres: 26,927 acresContainment: 13%EvacuationsThe communities of Cochiti Mesa and Peralta Canyon, including Cox Ranch, are under mandatory evacuations. Highway 4 remains closed to all traffic from mile marker 47 to mile marker 50 due to fire activity. Evacuation Shelter InformationEvacuees can report to the Jemez Mountain Baptist Church at 6 Riverview Court in Jemez Springs.

Residents in the City of Las Vegas, New Mexico have been watching aircraft in the area fight a growing wildfire that has burned hundreds of thousands of acres, destroyed about 170 homes and continues to grow. Officials say winds could push the fire closer to Las Vegas.

Calf Canyon Fire

Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire Information

Acres: 160.104 acres
Containment: 20%
Start Date: April 19, 2022
Cause: Under investigation
Location: Located near Gallinas Canyon
Fuels: Mixed conifer

Related Video: On the front lines with fire crews battling the Calf Canyon Fire

Evacuations

Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the following areas:

San Miguel County: Big Pine, Canovas Canyon, Porvenir Canyon, El Porvenir, Lower Canyon Road, Gallinas, Trout Springs, San Ignacio, Lone Pine Mesa, Chavez, Canoncito, Pendaries Village, Pendaries Valley East, Rociada, Upper Rociada, Tierra Monte Canon, La Canada, Las Tusas and Manuelitas. Mineral Hill, San Pablo, and San Geronimo are also on Mandatory evacuations.

City of Las Vegas: Luna and Cinder neighborhoods are on a mandatory evacuation. The areas of Creston, Taylor Wells and Bibb are on a “set” status.

West Las Vegas, East Cinder and Romeroville are now in “Ready” evacuation status.

Mora County: Penaso Blanco, South Carmen, Ledoux, Upper Morphy, Santiago Creek, Abuelo Puertocito, Rito, Cebolla, Buena Vista, Golondrinas, Mora, Rainsville, West Holman and Chacon are under mandatory evacuations in Mora County.

Evacuees leaving Mora must take Highways 434, 442, or 518 north to Taos. These roads will be utilized for evacuation only and no re-entry allowed.

Evacuation Shelter Information

Those who are evacuated can report to the following emergency shelters:

• Taos Agricultural Center – 202 Chamisa Rd, Taos, NM
• Penasco Schools – 13 Old School Road, Penasco, NM
• Memorial Middle School – 947 Legion Drive, Las Vegas
• Wagon Mound Schools – 300 Park Ave, Wagon Mound
• Glorieta Camp, 11 State Road 50, Glorieta, NM

New Mexico State Parks Closures

New Mexico State Parks have closed the following parks due to ongoing wildfires until further notice:

• Mesilla Valley State Park
• Coyote Creek State Park
• Morphy Lake State Park

Cerro Pelado Fire

Cerro Pelado Fire Information
Acres: 26,927 acres
Containment: 13%

Evacuations

The communities of Cochiti Mesa and Peralta Canyon, including Cox Ranch, are under mandatory evacuations.

Highway 4 remains closed to all traffic from mile marker 47 to mile marker 50 due to fire activity.

Evacuation Shelter Information

Evacuees can report to the Jemez Mountain Baptist Church at 6 Riverview Court in Jemez Springs.