The federal government announced it will fully cover the costs of efforts to prevent flooding on private land impacted by the recent wildfires that have plagued New Mexico.
The funding is urgently needed as the potential for Monsoon storms increases and could lead to flooding over burned areas that cover hundreds of square miles. The state remains devastated by the worst wildfire in the state’s history, the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire, which destroyed 430 homes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a news release that it will cover 100% of the costs for flood prevention in Colfax, Mora, San Miguel, and Lincoln counties.
“Everybody is scared right now because we all know what the Monsoons look like in New Mexico,” Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-New Mexico) told KOB 4. “The villages we were able to save from the fires, we do not want to lose them to the floods.”
Leger Fernandez discussed receiving federal help with President Joe Biden during his recent visit to New Mexico, noting that federally prescribed burns caused the most devastating of the fires. The efforts to reduce the potential for flooding could include removing debris from the property, clearing drainage areas, protecting streams, and planting vegetation.
Federal officials are now assessing the damage caused by the fires to begin applying for aid. Mora County officials, according to KOB 4, are also working on ways emergency crews can alert people to flooding through weather radios and alerts over radio and TV.
Community sirens, first responders using drive-by sirens, and cell phone alerts are also being considered. “We need to do as much work as quickly as possible before the monsoons start and then even after the monsoons start,” Leger Fernandez said.
Meanwhile, residents continue to be on edge. “We’re very stressed about the possibility of flooding in the Mora Valley,” resident Paula Garcia told KOB 4. “We’re worried about losing our house, and I’m worried for my neighbors.”