New Mexico Villages Struggle with Floods and Poisoned Wells Years After Wildfire

Post by : Saif Nasser

Years after the massive Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burned mountains above northern New Mexico, villages in the region continue to face severe flooding and water contamination. Many homes remain uninhabitable, and vital infrastructure, such as roads and water treatment plants, has been damaged.

Victoria Lovato, a rancher in Mora, points to the mountains above her land, now barren and hardened by the wildfire three years ago. The fire was so hot that it melted rocks and baked the soil like asphalt. Without trees or plants to slow rainwater, storms cause sudden floods that sweep away soil, rocks, and even livestock. Lovato said her valley has flooded more than two dozen times since the fire.

Experts warn that climate change is making wildfires hotter and larger, which increases the risk of post-fire flooding. “You start accumulating a lot of vulnerable land,” said Jason Kean, a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, noting that high-risk areas for flash floods can remain dangerous for up to ten years after a fire.

Some regions, like Coconino County in northern Arizona, have reduced flood damage using techniques such as alluvial fans, which act like sponges to soak up water. But in Mora County, residents say there is still no coordinated plan with sufficient funding from local, state, or federal authorities.

The floods are also deadly. In New Mexico, post-wildfire flooding has killed seven people in the last five years, while fires killed five. Roads, homes, and outbuildings have been swept away, and one 2022 flood drowned a motorist.

Mora County faces another problem: contaminated wells. Flooding has washed toxic heavy metals from fire retardants into groundwater, making it unsafe to drink. Many homes have been abandoned or demolished because of mold and water damage. Residents say federal help is hard to get, partly due to past reductions in programs like FEMA.

The state government is now working with federal agencies to find funds for watershed restoration projects. George Trujillo, Mora County Commission Chair, said $41 million is planned to repair roads, but warned that fixing lower areas alone is not enough. “It doesn’t make sense to fix the bottom if they don’t fix it up top,” he said, pointing to the burned mountains where floodwaters begin.

Lovato and other residents continue to face repeated flooding, damaged homes, and poisoned wells, showing that the effects of wildfires can last long after the flames are gone. Without stronger federal and state coordination to restore burned watersheds, communities in Mora and surrounding counties remain at risk.