A charred road sign still stands recently in front of El Porvenir Campground near Hermits Peak. The bridge was one of many damaged or destroyed by the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon wildfire or subsequent flooding. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM)
The stopgap spending bill the U.S. House passed late Friday included an additional $1.5 billion for Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire victims.
The short-term spending bill contained the additional funding, meant to compensate victims of the largest wildfire in New Mexico history caused by two botched prescribed burns in San Miguel County in early 2022.
It passed following a 366-34 vote with one Democrat voting “present.” The bill now goes to the Senate, where leadership will likely try to pass it before a midnight funding deadline, though that will take the agreement of all 100 lawmakers, or at least the ones still around Capitol Hill with the holidays nearing.
The bill would also extend the deadline for victims to file an initial claim, which is called a “notice of loss” until March 14, New Mexico congressional U.S Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández said in posts to social media .