Cerro Pelado Fire Explained

Cerro Pelado Fire
Location:	New Mexico Sandoval County
Date:	April 22, 2022
Area:	45605acres
Cause:	Under investigation
Buildings:	10
Fatalities:	0
Injuries:	0
Coordinates:	35.775°N -106.585°W
Pushpin Map:	USA New Mexico
Image Map Caption:	Location of fire in New Mexico

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., the Cerro Pelado Fire has burned 45605acres and is 100% contained.^[1]

Events

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.^[2] 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 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.^[3] The New Mexico Type 3 Team will now hand charge to the Jemez Ranger District June 15, 2022.^[4]

Cause

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 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 the burn piles, igniting the fire.^[5]

Impacts

Closures

During the fire, it prompted the closure of the nearby Bandelier National Monument and the Valles Caldera National Preserve,^{[6] [7]} as well as New Mexico State Road 4 from mile marker 27 to mile marker 59.

Evacuations

There are no longer evacuation orders

Weather/Health

Smoke from the Cerro Pelado Fire, in addition to the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire and Cooks Peak Fire also burning in northern New Mexico, has contributed to poor air quality throughout the region.^{[8] [9]}

Progression and containment status

Fire containment status
Gray: contained; Red: active; %: percent contained;

Date	Area burned acres (km^2)	Containment
April 22	500NaN0^[10]
April 23	34450NaN0^[11]	¹
April 24	34450NaN0^[12]
April 25	46880NaN0^[13]
April 26	49030NaN0^[14]
April 27	57110NaN0^[15]
April 28	61190NaN0^[16]
April 29	72450NaN0^[17]
April 30	156500NaN0^[18]
May 1	178850NaN0^[19]
May 2	223140NaN0^[20]
May 3	250040NaN0^[21]
May 4	269270NaN0^[22]
May 5	293680NaN0^[23]
May 6	321210NaN0^[24]
May 7	346710NaN0^[25]
May 8	374250NaN0^[26]
May 9	409580NaN0^[27]
May 10	424910NaN0^[28]

¹April 23 true acreage is unknown due to inaccurate mapping.

See also

• Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire
• 2022 New Mexico Wildfire Season

External links

• Cerro Pelado Fire information at InciWeb
• New Mexico Fire Information

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cerro Pelado Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System .
2. Web site: Damaging Winds & Extreme Fire Weather on Friday, April 22nd .
3. 1537098079270100992. GovMLG. News to celebrate:The #CerroPeladoFire is now 100% contained!The Santa Fe National Forest's Burned Area Emergen…. 15 June 2022.
4. 1536806995247960066. NMFireInfo. The Northern New Mexico Type 3 Team will transition the fire back to the Jemez Ranger District on Wednesday, June 1…. 14 June 2022.
5. Web site: United States Forest Service. Law Enforcement and Investigations . Cerro Pelado fire investigation - Redacted . USDA Forest Service, Southwest Regional Office . 6 November 2023 . 96 . 10 May 2023.
6. Web site: npsnmfireinfo . 2022-05-02 . Bandelier National Monument Closed Due to Cerro Pelado Fire . 2022-05-03 . NM Fire Info . en.
7. Web site: Valles Caldera Closes Due To Fire In The Jemez . 2022-05-03 . ladailypost.com.
8. Web site: Salcedo . Angel . 2022-05-02 . Wildfires and extreme wind cause air quality concerns in New Mexico . 2022-05-03 . KOAT . en.
9. Web site: May 3 Smoke Report for Cerro Pelado Fire - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-03 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
10. Web site: New Fire Start on SFNF Jemez Ranger District: Cerro Pelado Fire - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
11. Web site: Cerro Pelado Fire Update: April 23, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
12. Web site: Cerro Pelado Daily Update for April 24, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
13. Web site: Cerro Pelado Fire Daily Update for April 25, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
14. Web site: Cerro Pelado Daily Update for April 26, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
15. Web site: Cerro Pelado Daily Update for April 27, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
16. Web site: April 28, 2022 . Cerro Pelado Fire Daily Update for April 28, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov . en.
17. Web site: Cerro Pelado Fire Daily Update for April 29, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
18. Web site: Cerro Pelado Daily Update for April 30, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
19. Web site: Cerro Pelado Fire Daily Update for May 1, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
20. Web site: Cerro Pelado Fire Daily Update for May 2, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
21. Web site: Cerro Peldao Fire Daily Update for May 3, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
22. Web site: Cerro pelado Fire Daily Update for May 4 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
23. Web site: Cerro pelado Fire Daily Update for May 5 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
24. Web site: Cerro pelado Fire Daily Update for May 6 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
25. Web site: Cerro Pelado Fire Update Saturday, May 7, 2022 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
26. Web site: May 8, 2022 Cerro Pelado Fire Update - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-09 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
27. Web site: Cerro Pelado Fire Update for Monday, May 9 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-10 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.
28. Web site: Cerro Pelado Fire Update for Monday, May 10 - InciWeb the Incident Information System . 2022-05-10 . inciweb.nwcg.gov.