Crews Replant Hermit's Peak Burn Scars
Nearly 500 pine seedlings have gone into the ground since October across the largest fire in New Mexico history.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Botany
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The New Mexico Forestry Division reported that volunteers and crews have planted nearly 500 seedlings in the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire burn scars since October. San Miguel County's Los Vigiles Land Grant is overseeing the effort and plans to plant another 500 seedlings before winter.
Why it matters
The Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire burned 341,471 acres between April and June 2022 and destroyed more than 900 structures, making it the largest fire in New Mexico history. Replanting is a long-term effort, since pine seedlings take several decades to reach full maturity.
Planting counts reported by the New Mexico Forestry Division cover nearly 500 seedlings since October, set against a burn area of 341,471 acres. The total share of burned land being replanted and seedling survival rates have not been reported.
The players
New Mexico Forestry Division
The state agency responsible for forest management and wildfire recovery work across New Mexico's public and private lands.
Los Vigiles Land Grant
A San Miguel County land grant organization overseeing the seedling planting effort in the fire scars.
Rocky Mountain Youth Corps
A conservation workforce program that employs young adults on public land restoration projects across the Mountain West.
The details
Felled burned trees and remaining stumps provide shade and wind protection for the young seedlings, and microsites in the post-fire landscape help protect them in their early days. The Rocky Mountain Youth Corps planted 300 of the seedlings as part of its season capstone project.
Timeline
April 2022: The Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire began burning in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
June 2022: The fire's burning period ended after 341,471 acres had burned.
October 2026: Seedling planting began in the burn scars.
November 7, 2026: The New Mexico Forestry Division announced planting progress.
Before winter 2026: Los Vigiles plans to plant another 500 seedlings.
Big Picture
The replanting work follows the 2022 Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, the largest wildfire in New Mexico history, and moves recovery from immediate response into reforestation. Its success will be measured over decades, as the planted pines mature.
Replanting after large fires depends on volunteer crews and grant-funded programs working through the burn scars one stretch at a time. For residents in the affected counties, the effort shapes how quickly the forest returns to cover and shade.
The takeaway
Reforestation after a major fire is a multi-decade process, and early planting sets the conditions that future forests will depend on. Local replanting efforts are one of the few tools that can help recovery start sooner.
What happens next
Los Vigiles Land Grant plans to plant another 500 seedlings before winter, with the timing of that planting still to be confirmed.
Further reading
For more on plant recovery after fire, explore Botany coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOAT 7.
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