Santa Fe, NM (KKOB) – Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration on Tuesday filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for denying — on two separate occasions — the state’s request for $61.6 million to fund New Mexico National Guard deployments in the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak burn scar.
In April 2022, two prescribed burns by the U.S. Forest Service flared out of control burning over 341-thousand acres across four northern New Mexico counties, making it the largest wildfire in state history. Then, heavy rain on the burn scar during the spring triggered widespread flooding, a problem that persists to this day during heavy rainfall.
The governor deployed the New Mexico National Guard to help residents with evacuations, removal of debris and flood damage prevention and continues in and around the burn scar is ongoing to prevent additional property damage and loss of life.
Congress appropriated more than $5 billion to assist northern New Mexico residents and local and state governments.
In addition to the $61 million in National Guard costs, the state of New Mexico has 22 other FEMA claims pending totaling $128 million.
