ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It’s been two years since northern New Mexicans were victims of the largest wildfire in state history, started by the U.S. Forest Service. 

“Never before have we seen where a federally government started fire has destroyed whole forests,” Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez said in December 2022.

The relentless wind day in and day out only worsened conditions for firefighters.

“Our firefighters out there are fighting a battle against the amount of fire on the ground along with the amount of wind. The wind is incredible, it is precedent setting. The amount of wind we are going to have and the duration we are going to have it,” said Operations Section Chief Todd Abel in May 2022.

Many northern New Mexicans were forced to leave family homes and sacred land passed down to them for generations. 

“When my brother called me, he said, ‘Sorry brother, it’s gone!’ What do you know?” said Jerry Gomez in August 2023. 

“I mean it’s tough, my mother and grandmother are getting older every day, and it’s tough on them. It is really hard on them waiting to see where life is going to take them next,” said Toby Dolan.

Their stories only growing more heartbreaking the longer they wait for federal funding promised to them. 

“The federal government needs to take responsibility and pay the claims for people who have been hurt,” said Fernandez.

The federal government put aside nearly $4 billion for victims of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire. FEMA is in charge of distributing the money. 

“Many people lost their generational home, they may have been living in Santa Fe, and Las Vegas but their home that they inherited from their father, grandfather burnt down,” Fernandez said.

Out of the billions given to FEMA for relief, they’ve only distributed $464 million as of March 2024. 

Many victims say FEMA isn’t holding up their end of the deal as they wait for relief long after the fire has been put out.

“It was all well and good that they got the money appropriated for this but step up now and force this office right here to do something about it,” said Dolan.