I drove up through the Rio Grande Gorge on Thursday and stopped by the side of the road to take a photo of a large smoke plume. Based on where I was, I guessed it was from either the Hermit’s Peak or the Calf Canyon fire. Which was puzzling at the time, because my understanding was that Hermit’s Peak was coming under control and Calf Canyon was a small-ish fire.
Both may have been true at one point, but certainly aren’t now; the two wildfires merged Saturday and now cover a total of over 56,000 acres, with only 12% containment. Their combination was no doubt assisted by Friday’s wild and crazy winds. I read somewhere that there were more than 20 new fire starts in New Mexico that day.
Later on Thursday, I was just north of Española when I looked east to the Sangre de Cristos and saw even more billowing smoke. Once again I stopped by the side of the road to get a photo.
The Calf Canyon/Hermit’s Peak fire is in one of the most beautiful parts of the state, the Pecos Wilderness.1 Another fire (Cerro Pelado) is in the Jemez, uncomfortably close to the East Fork, my favorite body of water.2
There’s no sign of rain in the forecast, and only a handful of clouds. Looks as if we’re in for a long and brutal wildfire season this year.
If you’ve ever seen the East Fork of the Jemez, you’ll know that calling it a “body of water” is rather grandiose. But still … it’s ours and I love it.
Hi Lisa. The Hermit's Peak fire destroyed the lodge and some homes at Pendaries, NM, one of those homes being a vacation home my late parents had built in about 1976 or so. This drought is wiping out so many beautiful places in NM and the rest of the western US.
These wildfires are such a tragedy for the people directly impacted as well as our beautiful natural wilderness - so early in the year!