In May of 2022, two fires–Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon–burned dangerously close to Santa Fe. This map displays the fire perimeter shared by the National Fire Information Center on May 11, and links to the most recent authoritative information on the fire status to help distribute emergency information to those in need.
The Hermit's Peak Fire was a catastrophic wildfire that burned in northern New Mexico from April to August 2022, becoming the largest wildfire in the state's recorded history at over 534 square miles. The fire resulted from two prescribed burns conducted by the U.S. Forest Service that escaped containment and merged, destroying hundreds of homes and structures across San Miguel, Mora, Taos, and Colfax counties. The fire caused severe environmental damage including widespread soil erosion, watershed contamination, and destruction of critical wildlife habitat, with burned areas remaining vulnerable to devastating floods and mudslides during monsoon seasons. The disaster has had lasting economic and social impacts on affected communities, prompting the federal government to establish a $4 billion compensation fund for victims while many residents continue dealing with displacement, property loss, and ongoing flood risks years after the flames were extinguished.
The Hermit Peak Fire was caused by a prescribed burn conducted by the U.S. Forest Service that escaped containment. The agency was conducting a controlled burn for forest management purposes when weather conditions changed unexpectedly, causing the fire to spread beyond the planned boundaries in April 2022.
The Hermit Peak Fire started on April 6, 2022, when a prescribed burn by the U.S. Forest Service escaped control near Hermit's Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico. It later merged with the Calf Canyon Fire to become the Hermit Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.
The merged Hermit Peak/Calf Canyon Fire burned approximately 341,735 acres (534 square miles), making it the largest wildfire in New Mexico's recorded history. The fire destroyed hundreds of structures and forced thousands of evacuations across multiple counties in northern New Mexico before being fully contained in August 2022.
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