LAS VEGAS, N.M. (KRQE) – The Hermits Peak, Calf Canyon Fire rages on Saturday night. Help is on the way from Washington, but in the meantime, Senator Martin Heinrich is in Las Vegas offering support.
Senator Heinrich was delivering supplies to the shelter at Old Memorial Middle School gym in Las Vegas. His team is working alongside FEMA to help those who have been affected by the flames. FEMA arrived in Las Vegas Friday.
Saturday morning, people who have been affected by these fires were lined up out the door at the middle school. Another team was located at the second evacuation shelter in Glorieta.
Senator Heinrich spent his morning checking out the damage. He says he and his team have been working hard to get resources to the area. “Representative Ledger Fernandez, Senator Lujan, myself – like, we’ve been a team from day one, engaged in the White House and they understand what a huge, huge impact this community is going through right now,” Sen. Heinrich says. “Regular calls with the White House. That’s why we were able to move this desk disaster declaration so quickly, but what’s important is now we do the follow-on work to make sure that those dollars actually make it to the people who are impacted on the ground.”
The fire, burning more than 170,000 acres, remains the largest in the nation. It is only 21% contained with 1,400 personnel working to stop the blazes. That disaster declaration, signed by President Biden on Thursday, will get federal money to those who have lost their homes.
Over 16,000 New Mexicans have had to evacuate. Winds are expected to continue these next three days, which will intensify the firefight. As for those p\hoping to go back home, they’ll just have to keep waiting.
For those who are in need of assistance, FEMA will be available at the Glorieta Evacuation shelter as well as the Old Memorial Middle School gym in Las Vegas.
