Forest officials: Dormant prescribed burn caused Calf Canyon Fire
May 27—A pile of debris still smoldering from a prescribed burn ignited by the U.S. Forest Service in January was determined the cause of the Calf Canyon Fire, Santa Fe National Forest officials confirmed Friday.
The Calf Canyon Fire merged with the Hermits Peak Fire northwest of Las Vegas, N.M. — which also was caused by a prescribed burn — to create the more than 312,000-acre wildfire, the largest in the state's history, that continues to burn in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday decried the fact that the U.S. Forest Service caused both fires.
She said in a statement: "The pain and suffering of New Mexicans caused by the actions of the U.S. Forest Service — an agency that is intended to be a steward of our lands — is unfathomable."
She added, "This is a first step toward the federal government taking full responsibility for the largest wildfire in state history, which has destroyed hundreds of homes, displaced tens of thousands of New Mexicans, and cost the state and local governments millions of dollars."
The Santa Fe National Forest, which had said for weeks the Calf Canyon Fire's human cause was under investigation, reported Friday the fire from the pile burn remained dormant in debris for several months, even under snowpack.
The so-called sleeper fire resumed activity in the spring.
"On April 9, smoke was reported from the vicinity of the Gallinas Canyon Wildland Urban Interface pile burn, which had concluded on January 29, and crews responded," forest officials said in the news release. "Crews lined the 1.5-acre Calf Canyon Fire and continued to monitor the fire over the next couple of days to ensure there were no signs of heat or flames near the edge.
"Ten days later, on April 19, the Calf Canyon Fire reignited and escaped containment lines," the news release continued. "A wind event on April 22 caused significant fire spread, and the Calf Canyon Fire merged with the Hermits Peak Fire, which was caused by an escaped prescribed burn."
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
