Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials recently said the disaster relief organization will soon open three remote field offices to help thousands of New Mexicans recover from the devastating wildfires of 2022.
The offices will be in Santa Fe, Las Vegas and Mora, according to a KOB report. Wildfire victims can schedule an appointment or walk in and speak with someone about the services offered and how to obtain federal relief.
“I personally struggle with the term, ‘making someone whole,'” Angela Gladwell, Calf Canyon/Hermit’s Peak FEMA director told KOB. “With that being said, we recognize the rising cost of inflation, we recognize that putting things back are going to cost more today than when they were originally built. All those are being factored into how we are defining compensation.”
For many affected by the fires, the process of restoring their lives is only beginning. The state is recovering from a devastating wildfire season a year ago that included the largest blaze in the state’s recorded history. More than 1 million acres burned after a pair of prescribed burn operations went awry and fierce spring winds fueled the flames. Thousands were displaced as homes and businesses were destroyed.
Congress has approved nearly $4 billion in recovery funds, and New Mexico lawmakers also recently passed legislation creating a low-interest loan program to help communities repair or replace public infrastructure damaged by wildfires or subsequent flooding.
Anyone can file what’s called a notice of loss form. According to KOB, only 430 people have started that process. FEMA told KOB as many as 30,000 people could be filing these forms.
The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire erupted in northern New Mexico and became the largest wildfire in the state’s history. It burned 341,471 acres between early April and late June 2022 in the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains in San Miguel, Mora, and Taos counties.
Not only was the blaze the largest of the record-breaking 2022 New Mexico wildfire season, it was the largest wildfire of 2022 in the contiguous United States.
