U.S. Forest Service Sued Over Fatal Flash Floods Following New Mexico's Largest Recorded Wildfire

Lawsuit alleges negligence in the management of prescribed burn and failure to provide adequate warnings about potential flood risks; US Forest Service and Department of Agriculture have not yet responded formally.

Relatives of three West Texas residents who died in a flash flood resulting from the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s recorded history are suing the U.S. Forest Service, alleging negligence in the management of the prescribed fire.
The lawsuit also claims the Forest Service failed to close roads or restrict access to areas at risk for flooding after the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.
The fire scorched over 533 square miles in San Miguel, Mora, and Taos counties, an improperly extinguished pile burn operation and a mismanaged prescribed fire that merged, destroying about 900 structures, many being homes.
No response or settlement offer has been made by the U.S. Forest Service or its parent agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the lawsuit and the initial claims filed earlier.
Congress has allocated nearly $4 billion for victim compensation, and FEMA claims to have paid over $101 million in losses, but many families maintain that the government is underestimating the damage and emotional distress caused by the fire.