2022 New Mexico wildfires
{{Short description|An overview of major wildfires in New Mexico during the year 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox wildfire
|title=2022 New Mexico wildfires
|image=300px
|caption=Satellite imagery from GOES-16 shows smoke plumes from multiple wildfires in northern New Mexico moving east into Texas during a wind event on April 29, 2022.
|cost=Unknown
|references=
|total_fires=
|total_area={{convert|899,453|acres|ha|abbr=on}}{{cite web |title=2022 Year-to-Date Wildland Fires > 100 Acres |url=https://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/predictive/intelligence/daily/UPLOAD_Files_toSWCC/YTD_ICS-209_1_ByState.pdf |publisher=Southwest Coordination Center |access-date=12 June 2022}}
|injuries=
|fatalities=2
|is_season=yes
|year=2022
|season_name=New Mexico wildfires}}
The 2022 New Mexico wildfire season were a series of wildfires which burnt throughout the U.S. state of New Mexico. {{As of|2022|12|13|df=US}}, {{convert|904,422|acres|ha|abbr=on}} had burned across the state.{{cite web |title=2022 Year-to-Date Wildland Fires > 100 Acres |url=https://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/predictive/intelligence/daily/UPLOAD_Files_toSWCC/YTD_ICS-209_1_ByState.pdf |access-date=12 June 2022 |publisher=Southwest Coordination Center}} The burned acreage figure for 2022 is well above the 1995-2015 average of approximately 270,000 acres burned annually. with the fire season in the state expected to continue until the advent of the regular North American Monsoon weather pattern throughout the Southwestern United States in the summer.{{Cite web |title=SWCC {{!}} Predictive Services {{!}} Intelligence {{!}} Historical Fire Data |url=https://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/predictive/intelligence/Historical/Fire_and_Resource_Data/Historical_Fires_Acres.htm |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=gacc.nifc.gov}}{{Cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Samenow |first2=Jason |date=May 5, 2022 |title=Large fires are raging in New Mexico, and the worst may be coming |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/05/new-mexico-fire-disaster-biden/ |access-date=May 8, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}
A number of factors contributed to the severe wildfire season. The majority of the state is experiencing extreme to exceptional drought conditions as part of a broader severe drought in the North American west, fueled by climate change.{{Cite web |title=U.S. Drought Monitor New Mexico |url=https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NM |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=droughtmonitor.unl.edu}} A reduced 2021-2022 winter snowpack, long periods of higher-than-normal temperatures, and sustained strong winds have resulted in extreme fire conditions and a number of major incidents.{{Cite news |last=Garrett |first=Monica|date=2022-04-27 |title=It is only April, and New Mexico has already seen a year's worth of fire activity that will worsen starting today|language=en |work=CNN|url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/27/weather/wildfires-forecast-new-mexico/index.html |access-date=2022-04-28}}{{Cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=2022-04-24 |title=Destructive wildfires in New Mexico trigger emergency declaration |language=en |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/04/24/1094581601/wildfire-new-mexico-southwest |access-date=2022-04-25}}
The season has seen a large number of significant wildfires.{{Cite web |last=agencies |first=Staff and |date=2022-04-24 |title=One dead and thousands forced to flee as wildfires sweep across US |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/24/thousands-forced-to-flee-as-wildfires-sweep-through-new-mexico |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} In early April 2022, the McBride Fire destroyed over 200 structures and killed two people. Since April 2022, the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire grew to become the largest fire in New Mexico history.{{cite news |title=U.S. Forest Service Planned Burn Caused Largest New Mexico Wildfire |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/28/us/new-mexico-fire-planned-burn.html |access-date=30 May 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=28 May 2022}} It destroyed over 900 structures. Starting in May the Black Fire (2022), and ending in late July, burned in the Gila National Forest northeast of Silver City. The fire consumed some 325,000 acres and became the second-largest wildfire in state history.[https://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/predictive/intelligence/daily/SWCC_Morning_Situation_Report/SWCC_Morning_Situation_Report.htm SW MORNING SITUATION REPORT (SMSR)]. Retrieved 2022-06-16 Thousands of state residents were forced to evacuate for extended periods of times, and the fires produced smoke plumes with severe effects on air quality and health throughout New Mexico.{{Cite news |last=Silva |first=Claudia L. |date=May 12, 2022 |title=Smoke from New Mexico wildfires could have serious impact on health |work=The Santa Fe New Mexican |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/wildfires/smoke-from-new-mexico-wildfires-could-have-serious-impact-on-health/article_4ac40e34-d153-11ec-9a3d-33eab1eeef03.html |access-date=May 16, 2022}}
List of wildfires
The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage or casualties, or were otherwise notable.
See also
References
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{{2022 wildfires}}
{{New Mexico wildfires}}
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