It’s deadline day for those affected by the Hermit’s Peak / Calf Canyon Fire to apply for federal compensation.
Residents who suffered losses from the 2022 wildfire or the flooding that followed must file a Notice of Loss form by the end of today, Friday, March 14.
That’s the cutoff for victims of the disasters to be considered for financial assistance through FEMA’s Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office.
Once the deadline passes, no new claims will be accepted.
That includes requests for flood insurance coverage at no cost to the claimant, as well as conservation recovery plans offered through the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich and his congressional colleagues will be watching closely in after today’s deadline.
In a Senate hearing late last year, Heinrich insisted that FEMA needed to do a better job of addressing the claims of people who were left with nothing after the fires and floods.
“ What can FEMA do differently so that the folks who literally lost everything in the fire are not the last to get their compensation?" Heinrich asked.
"The simple claims have have moved. And the more complicated, but also more devastating claims, are often the ones that are not getting done in a timely way.”
Claims can be submitted online through FEMA’s website, by email, in person at a claims office, or by mail.
The claims offices in Mora, Las Vegas, and Santa Fe are all scheduled to stay open until 6 p.m. today, weather permitting.
