New Mexico Congressional Bill Hermits Peak Fire

Proposed Bill by the NM Congressional Delegation to Ensure Compensation for the Victims of the Hermit Peak/Cal Canyon Fires

A bill to compensate fire accident victims has been proposed by the New Mexico congressional delegation.

Democratic members of Congress from New Mexico submitted a new bill aimed at paying victims of the Hermit Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. Senator Ben Ray Luján of the United States of America told SFR in a phone interview from Washington, DC. The measure is based on one proposed by the late US Senator Pete Domenici to recompense victims of the Cerro Grande Fire in 2000. Both flames started as a result of controlled burns. "We altered it to meet the situation," Luján explained.

The Hermit's Peak Fire Assistance Act, if passed, would mandate that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) establish and implement a program to completely compensate anyone who suffered personal injuries, property losses, and financial losses as a result of the fire that started near Hermit's Peak. "In my perspective, the federal government is liable here," Luján added, "and that's why further support is needed."

The Hermit’s fire had grown to 320,009 acres this morning, with 67% containment and over 2,597 firefighters on the scene. Four counties have now been ordered to evacuate their residents. Last night, fire officials reported another hot, windy day on the fire, with milder temperatures forecast today but another red flag day due to low humidity. Winds are forecast to decrease beginning Friday and continuing through the weekend.

U.S. Rep. Theresa Leger Fernández,, who is a representative in New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District, made a statement about the Cerro Grande Fire. This is the fire that burned Los Alamos County. The Cerro Grande Fire is much like the Hermit’s Peak Fire in that it was caused by what was supposed to have been a controlled burn. She indicated that the residents of San Miguel County and Mora County should be compensated for the losses they sustained in the Hermits Peak Fire in the same way that the federal government compensated the residents of Los Almos County after the Cerro Grande Fire. As of recent reporting, the Cerro Pelado Fire in the Jemez had burned 45,609 acres with 95% containment.

From Gallinas Canyon to the meadows and mesas in Mora where cattle and elk grazed, and the streams that supplied our acequias and farmlands, everyone in New Mexico is mourning the loss of our beautiful woods, communities, and memories," Leger Fernández said in a prepared statement. "The woodland landscape will not be replaced in our lives." The federal government, on the other hand, may and must bear responsibility for the damage that the prescribed fire inflicted on our homelands."

The bill, which was introduced on Tuesday, calls for the federal government to pay for insured and uninsured property losses, lost income, reforestation costs, business interruption losses, insurance deductibles, new property insurance for area residents, and other ways that fire has impacted northern New Mexico communities financially.
According to the bill, the Federal Emergency Management Agency would establish a Hermit's Peak Fire Claims Office, which will review claims promptly and award actual compensatory losses. It does not impose a cap on the amount of money the federal government can provide.

What are the Compensations Available to Victims of the New Mexico Fire?

Being a victim of a fire can be very traumatizing. Not only do you have to deal with the pain and suffering of the injury itself, but you may also have to cope with the financial and legal consequences. The good news is that you may be able to recover compensation for your damages.

Some of the compensation available to victims of the Hermits Peak Fire include:

• Lost wages
• Medical bills
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Wrongful death
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium

Let Us Help You Get the Compensation You Deserve

If you or a loved one has been injured in the Hermits Peak Fire, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Our experienced attorneys at Ferguson & Associates understand how difficult this time may be. We are here to help you. Contact our experienced personal injury lawyers to get the compensation and justice you deserve now.

The post New Mexico Congressional Bill Hermits Peak Fire appeared first on Personal Injury Lawyer New Mexico.

source https://fergusonlaw.com/new-mexico-congressional-bill-hermits-peak-fire/