Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Single Publication

Zoom to your location
Reset map zoom and position

Could not determine your location.

Cooks Peak

Share this incident

Unit Information

HC 33 Box 109 #4 Las Vegas New Mexico 87701 
Storrie Lake State Park 
Las Vegas, 
New Mexico 
87701 
HC 33 Box 109 #4 Las Vegas New Mexico 87701 
Storrie Lake State Park 
Las Vegas, 
New Mexico 
87701 

Incident Contacts

Cooks Peak Morning Update for April 25, 2022

Cooks Peak
Publication Type: News -

Cooks Peak Fire community meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight

Fire behavior will moderate today with arrival of snow, but remains active

Morning Update 4/25/2022

Acres: 51,982 acres 
Location: North of Ocate NM, approximately 46 miles north of Las Vegas, NM
Containment: 9%
Start Date: Sunday, April 17, 2022
Cause: Unknown, under investigation
Fuels: ponderosa pine, oak brush and grass

Announcement:  The Southwest Area Incident Management Team will host a community meeting on Monday, April 25, 2022, at 7 p.m. to provide updates on the Cooks Peak Fire. The meeting will be held in the Wagon Mound High School Gym at 300 Park Ave., in Wagon Mound. Interested attendees can participate in-person or virtually, via Cooks Peak Fire Facebook Livestream at https://www.facebook.com/CooksPeakFireInfo/.  

Current Evacuations for Mora and Colfax Counties:  Colfax County - GO- Sweetwater, Rayado, and Sunnyside – evacuate now! SET – Philmont Scout Ranch and Miami. Ready: Cimarron and Angel Fire. Residents in Colfax County should sign up now for Code Red. This system notifies residents of evacuation status. For notifications, sign up on the Colfax County website: http://www.co.colfax.nm.us/government/emergency_management.php  Mora County – GO:  Los LeFebres and Los Huerros, residents east of County Road 009 and north of NM Highway 120. Ready:  Lucero and Los Cocas, residents west of County Road 009 and north of Highway 120. The Mora and Colfax County Sheriff’s Offices are using the Ready! Set! Go! program for evacuation status that provides information on evacuation and evacuation preparation. 
Evacuation center is set up at Old Memorial Middle School, 947 Old National Rd, Las Vegas; and Colfax County Fairgrounds, 16 Airport Road, Springer.
 
Livestock: Residents can evacuate livestock to the Colfax County Fairgrounds. If residents from Mora need a place for horses, the Taos Rodeo Grounds is available.  Contact: Livestock Inspector Ruben Baca 505-770-1490.   
 
Fire Update: Active fire behavior continued across the Cooks Peak Fire on Sunday. Ground crews across the fire area continued to construct hand and dozer line while helicopters performed aerial firing operations. Crews successfully performed firing operations on the west side of Sweetwater to protect the community. Helicopters with buckets dropped water to protect structures east of Rayado Peak. Additionally, firefighters gained containment above Naranjos, on the southeast side of the fire.  

Fire behavior is expected to moderate today with the arrival of colder temperatures, rain and snow. This change in weather should provide an opportunity for crews to gain ground on the fire, but fire behavior will remain active, especially where topography and drought stressed fuels align.  Ground crews will continue working hard to secure the northern perimeter, where weather, topography and fire behavior made firefighting especially difficult in previous days. Firing operations will be conducted on the east side from Aguate Canyon to Apache Mesa, if weather allows, which may increase smoke. Crews will continue to secure and hold the fire perimeter. Structural assessments are still underway, and crews will continue to identify any structures impacted by the fire. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) remains in place over the fire area.

The Incident Management Team continues to work closely with the local unit, stakeholders and fire behavior, and mapping specialists to determine the best firefighting tactics and response for the important values in an around the fires area. This assists administrators in determining primary, alternate contingency and emergency firelines to ensure a coordinated response to changing conditions.


Weather: Sunday featured moderate fire weather conditions, due to cooler temperatures, lighter winds, and more clouds over the Cooks Peak Fire. Last night, a cold front pushed in from the north, bringing rain and higher elevation snow showers. Snow accumulations range from 1-4 inches for the fire area. Winds remain relatively light through the day, shifting from easterly to southerly through the afternoon.  
 

Highway Closures: The Cooks Peak Fire closed a portion NM120, from mile marker 14, three miles west of Ocate to mile marker 26, five miles east of Naranjos and at the junction of highway 442 and 120.  NM21 is also closed from mile marker 0 in Cimarron to mile marker 34 in Springer. Motorists are advised to delay travel or to seek alternate routes. Visit https://nmroads.com/mapIndex.html for additional information.
 

Smoke: The cooler air mass pressing in from the north and east through Monday morning will result in broad improvements for the I-25 corridor and areas north/east of NM 21. Gusty southerly winds will quickly return to the area by Tuesday. Residents are encouraged to stay informed of potential changes by visiting the interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/, which allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.
 

More Information:

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8066/

New Mexico Fire information: https://nmfireinfo.com/

Smoke Outlook: https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/b335b9f4

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CooksPeakFireInfo/