US Forest Service sued over flooding deaths in the wake of New Mexico’s largest recorded wildfire

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Relatives of three people who died last year in a flash flood stemming from the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s recorded history are suing the U.S. Forest Service. The wrongful death lawsuit filed in early October alleges the agency was negligent in the management of the prescribed burn that caused the blaze. The complaint also claims the agency failed to close roads and prevent access to areas at risk for flooding that followed the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. Three West Texas residents were staying at a family cabin in July 2022 when summer rains hit the burn scar and spurred the flooding.