Coalition for Fire Fund Fairness

12/02/2026

CFFF STATEMENT ON MITCHELL & CARBAJAL BEING PLACED ON "ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE:

Let’s be clear: this is a step, but it’s a tiny one. Administrative leave without a full accountability isn’t justice, it’s a Band-Aid! Victims deserve full transparency and a complete overhaul of how the HPCC Fire Claims Office operates.

We need answers about why claims have dragged on for years while others, including Jay Mitchell and Jennifer Carbajal, received expedited payouts.

We need all remaining claims paid now.
We need an independent investigation.
And we need leadership that puts survivors first, not insiders.

This fight isn’t over until every victim is made whole! The corruption must end NOW!

A FEMA headquarters email to claims office staff, which Source obtained, does not say how long the leave will be or what prompted it.

10/02/2026

Join us Tuesday, February 10th from 10:00am-2:00pm!

04/02/2026

CFFF STATEMENT ON FEMA CORRUPTION:
For generations, New Mexicans have been promised justice and protection by the federal government, and for generations, those promises have been broken. This failure did not begin with the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire. Those broken promises date back to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which guaranteed land, property, and civil rights to New Mexicans and was never fully honored. This pattern of neglect and failure is systemic and has continued regardless of which political party has held power.

The fact is that the federal government caused this fire. It burned people out of their homes, destroyed ancestral homelands held for centuries, and shattered communities whose ties to the land and water are inseparable from their identity. Families lost more than structures and livelihoods. They lost history, culture, and a sense of security that cannot simply be replaced. The devastation will take decades to repair, if it can be repaired at all.
Instead of dignity, urgency, and competence, many victims have experienced delays, confusion, and uncertainty, all at the hands of the federal government. For nearly four years, fire victims and the Coalition for Fire Fund Fairness have pleaded with FEMA for accountable leadership and a claims process that truly reflects the scale of this loss. The sad truth is that FEMA leadership has continued to ignore those pleas and mistreat and further traumatize fire victims.

This moment demands that elected officials at every level do more than just express concern. It necessitates sustained oversight, clear accountability, and a commitment to implementing genuine administrative and legislative solutions that prioritize the well-being of victims. Jay Mitchell must resign or be removed immediately. There must be a thorough investigation and the appointment of an outside and objective individual to lead the claims office. This individual must have a substantial legal background, a deep understanding of New Mexico’s culture and history, and must not be a career bureaucrat or current political appointee. However, we must remember that when the federal government inflicts harm on its people, the moral obligation to respond comprehensively and impartially does not conclude with a single personnel change.
Fire victims deserve to be treated with dignity, transparency, and respect.

Fire victims deserve elected officials who are going to stand up and ensure that justice is delivered.

Fire Victims deserve Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire claims office leadership that respects New Mexico’s history and communities.
And fire victims deserve to be fully and expeditiously compensated for their losses.

Anything less falls short of what is morally necessary.

Manny Crespín
Coalition for Fire Fund Fairness

07/04/2025

Today marks 3 years since the Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon wildfires tore through our land, our homes, and our hearts. The fire took so much from us, generations of memories, sacred places, family legacies, and the sense of safety we once knew.

And yet, three years later, we are still waiting.

We wait for relief.
We wait for justice.
We wait for FEMA.

In the aftermath, our communities came together. We supported one another, we grieved together, and we stood back up with the strength and resilience that Northern New Mexicans have always carried in our bones. But resilience should not be mistaken for acceptance. We cannot, and will not, accept broken promises or bureaucratic delays.

Families are still displaced. Livelihoods remain shattered. And the trauma lives on in every unanswered call, every delayed payment, every sleepless night.

Northern New Mexicans deserve to be made whole again.

The Coalition for Fire Fund Fairness stands strong in that fight. We will continue to hold FEMA accountable, not out of anger, but out of love for our people, our land, and our future.

We carry our grief, but we also carry hope. Hope that justice will come. Hope that healing will follow. Hope that one day soon, every promise made to us will finally be kept.

www.firefundfairness.com

09/01/2025

HERMIT’S PEAK / CALF CANYON SURVIVORS: We need your voice! It's time to take action.

Contact your representatives today and demand meaningful reforms to FEMA’s broken system. Let’s stand together in exercising our First Amendment rights. Voice your concerns and hold FEMA accountable to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve—without more delays or confusion.

ACT NOW: https://www.hermitspeakjustice.org/copy-of-get-involved-and-take-action

09/01/2025

Sending strength and solidarity to all those affected by the current fires in Los Angeles. As survivors of the Hermit's Peak / Calf Canyon fire, we know firsthand the power of community in the face of devastation.

For resources and updates, please visit the Los Angeles County Fire Department:

There are numerous resources that can be of use to anyone interested in public safety. Use the links found via the categories on this page to contact a wide range of local, state, and federal agencies.Los Angeles Emergency Services

24/12/2024

As we start our third holiday season since the Hermit’s Peak / Calf Canyon Fire, many families are still unable to celebrate in the warmth and comfort of their homes. Too many are still waiting for the compensation they so deeply deserve, and their lives remain in limbo.

Your voice can make a difference. Every message matters. Please take a moment to tell your representatives to take a stand and fix FEMA’s broken process by visiting: https://www.hermitspeakjustice.org/copy-of-get-involved-and-take-action

26/10/2024

✊🏿✊🏾✊️✊🏼✊🏻✊🏽✊🏿 Join Us for a Powerful & Peaceful Protest! Power = PEACE
🕊☮️✌🏿✌🏾✌🏽✌🏼✌🏻✌️✌🏿

We invite you to stand with the Coalition for Fire Fund Fairness, Calf Canyon - Hermit’s Peak Fire Recovery Resources and Info, and all the community members who stand with us!!!

When: Tomorrow, 9 AM to Noon
Where: FEMA HPCC Claims office
Special Thanks: A huge shoutout to Heather Fern Vuchinich, Laura Silva, Kayt C. Peck, and Yolanda Cruz for joining in these tireless efforts as we fight for justice!

This is our moment to raise our voices and demand the justice we deserve. We will not be silenced! Together, we will stand strong, united in our fight against the injustices we’ve faced.

For more information and to join our movement, visit hermitspeakjustice.org

Let’s make this rally a powerful statement for all those affected. Together, we will push for change and show that our community stands resilient!



✊🏿✊🏽✊🏻✊🏼✊️✊🏾✊🏿

28/06/2024

Cyn Palmer’s community members are compassionate, resilient, and deserve better than what the government has provided with since the Hermit’s Peak / Calf Canyon Fire broke out.

27/06/2024

Our thoughts go out to all the New Mexicans affected by the South Fork and Salt Fires. For those of us who survived the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, we know all too well how excruciating this could be.

To donate or learn how you can get involved, visit the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross is responding as flooding continues to inundate parts of northwest Iowa and hundreds of residents in New Mexico deal with the aftermath of devastating wildfires.