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Wildfire Leads To Closure Of Bandelier National Monument

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By Kurt Repanshek - May 1st, 2022

Smoke from the Cerro Pelado fire seen Saturday from Bandelier NM/NPS

Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico on Sunday closed to the public, joining Valles Caldera National Preserve to take precautions against a wildfire that was approaching 18,000 acres in size despite the efforts of more than 400 firefighters.

The Cerro Pelado fire was reported April 22 during what officials called "an epic wind event." Since the start, of unknown cause, gusty winds almost daily have fanned the flames and pushed the fire through stands of ponderosa pine, mixed conifers, and dry grasses. As of Sunday morning, the blaze was about 7.5 miles to the west of Bandelier.

"Based on the fire activity that they’re expecting today, the fire activity is expected to the east, so that would make sense," Lenore Lamb, a public information officer on the fire, said of Bandelier's closure.

While fire crews have made progress on the northwestern edge of the fire, where 10 percent of the blaze was reported to be contained, a rocky landscape on eastern and southern fronts of the fire slowed its progress, according to Sunday morning's fire report. But the day's forecast again called for erratic winds that could result in spotting ahead of the main body of fire and "cause significant control issues."

The 441 personnel on the fire were dealing with low humidity levels approaching single digits and winds gusting to 35 mph.

While Valles Caldera north of the Cerro Pelado fire closed to the public on April 23, the flames didn't seem to be moving in that direction but rather to the east and south.

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