The Cerro Pelado Fire was a wildfire that burned in the southern Jemez Mountains in Sandoval County , southwest of Los Alamos , in the state of New Mexico in the United States as part of the 2022 New Mexico wildfire season . The cause of the fire was determined to be an escaped prescribed burn started by the US Forest Service. The wildfire started on April 22, 2022, during extreme fire weather conditions. As of 15 June 2022, the Cerro Pelado Fire has burned 45,605 acres (18,456 ha) and is 100% contained.
9-610: On April 22, 2022, large portions of New Mexico experienced extreme fire conditions, including a red flag warning from the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Albuquerque . The fire was first reported that afternoon, it was officially named the Cerro Pelado Fire after the nearby Cerro Pelado mountain. The Cerro Pelado Fire was partially burning within the burn scar of the 2011 Las Conchas Fire , and near those of
18-429: A combination of strong winds, very low humidity, long duration, and very dry fuels. It was used for the first time on October 29, 2019. A related but less imminent forecast may include a fire weather watch , which is issued to alert fire and land management agencies to the possibility that Red Flag conditions may exist beyond the first forecast period (12 hours). The watch is issued generally 12 to 48 hours in advance of
27-484: A dry season, when humidity is very low, and especially when there are high or erratic winds (which may also include lightning as a factor), the Red Flag Warning becomes a critical statement for firefighting agencies. These agencies often alter their staffing and equipment resources dramatically to accommodate the forecast risk. To the public, a Red Flag Warning means high fire danger with increased probability of
36-563: A quickly spreading vegetation fire in the area within 24 hours. The weather criteria for fire weather watches and red flag warnings vary with each Weather Service office ’s warning area based on the local vegetation type, topography , and distance from major water sources. They usually include the daily vegetation moisture content calculations, expected afternoon high temperature, afternoon minimum relative humidity, and daytime wind speed. Outdoor burning bans may also be proclaimed by local law and fire agencies based on red flag warnings, for both
45-608: The 2013 Thompson Ridge Fire and the 2017 Cajete Fire. On June 15, 2022, it was announced that the Cerro Pelado Fire was fully contained. The New Mexico Type 3 Team will now hand charge to the Jemez Ranger District June 15, 2022. An investigation by the United States Forest Service concluded in 2023 determined that the probable cause was debris-burning activities. A prescribed burn by the USFS had taken place in
54-482: The area and several debris piles left by logging activity had been ignited in January and February of 2022. The piles were monitored occasionally following the initial prescribed burn and some of the piles in the ignition area retained heat as late as April 20, 2022. Fire crews would create berms around hot piles and spread the ashes to allow the heat to escape. The red flag event led to the spread of hot ash and embers from
63-559: The burn piles, igniting the fire. The fire prompted the closure of the nearby Bandelier National Monument and the Valles Caldera National Preserve , as well as New Mexico State Road 4 from mile marker 27 to mile marker 59. Smoke from the Cerro Pelado Fire, in addition to the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire and Cooks Peak Fire burning in northern New Mexico, contributed to poor air quality throughout
72-557: The general public and land management officials. A fire weather warning gives extra guidance to land management officials to refrain from controlled burns . In October 2019, the National Weather Service introduced an enhanced version of the warning, called extreme red flag warning . Analogous to the particularly dangerous situation (PDS) wording on a high-end severe weather warning or watch , this means that conditions for fire growth and behavior are extremely dangerous due to
81-537: The region. ¹April 23 true acreage is unknown due to inaccurate mapping. This wildfire -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Red flag warning A red flag warning is a forecast warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States to inform the public, firefighters , and land management agencies that conditions are ideal for wildland fire combustion, and rapid spread. After drought conditions or
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