A charred road sign still stands in front of El Porvenir Campground near Hermits Peak, pictured June 2023. The bridge was one of many damaged or destroyed by the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon wildfire or subsequent flooding. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM)
Friday, March 14 marks the deadline to file an initial claim for damages from the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, a huge wildfire started by the United States Forest Service nearly three years ago.
Congress has extended the original November 2024 deadline twice, but has not given any indication it will be extended again. Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire Claims Office officials are urging any last holdouts to apply for compensation before the deadline by filing what’s known as a “notice of loss.”
“If you know a friend, family member or neighbor who was impacted by the disaster and has not yet submitted a notice of loss, please encourage them to do so this week,” New Mexico Joint Recovery Office Director of Operations Jay Mitchell said in a statement. “The funds are available to help them rebuild, but they must take this first step before March 14.”
Congress awarded $5.45 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency with the goal of fully compensating people from the 534-square-mile wildfire that began as two botched prescribed burns on federal land. The wildfire in the Las Vegas and Mora area burned several hundreds of homes, and ushered in severe flooding that continues to cause damage.
The claims office offers compensation for homes and other property lost in the fire, as well as erosion and reforestation; smoke and ash cleaning; lost income and more. The office also provides flood insurance for structures for five years and conservation restoration plans for damage to land.
A federal judge late last year also ordered the office to pay people for so-called “noneconomic damages” from the fire, which could result in several hundred million dollars paid for the emotional harm of the blaze. The office could still appeal that ruling, however.
As of March 11, the office had paid more than 14,000 claims totaling nearly $2 billion, or about 36% of the total Congress awarded, according to the latest figures from the office. That leaves $3.45 billion, minus administrative costs, left for fire victims.
The amount awarded so far includes $1.53 billion awarded to individuals; $257 million for businesses; $104 million for governments and smaller amounts to tribal nations and nonprofits.
Those who wish to file an initial claim can do so online, by mail or email or in-person at one of three physical offices in and around the burn scar. Those offices will be open for extended hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday to process claims.
Officials stressed that the process can take less than 20 minutes and that fire victims don’t need to have all of their documentation in order before applying.