NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Senator Martin Heinrich pressed federal officials on Wednesday on the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire claims process. The fire destroyed 900 structures, including hundreds of homes, in northern New Mexico in 2022. It began as a prescribed burn. New Mexico Department of Cultural affairs proposes budget increase The federal government set aside billions of dollars to help people recover from the damage. But during a Senate appropriations hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Senator Heinrich said many people are still waiting for FEMA to complete their claims for compensation. He asked the FEMA administrator what they are doing about it. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell: "We continue to bring in our staffing, that we have the right amount of people, the right amount of resource," said Deanne Criswell, FEMA Administrator. Sen. Heinrich: "It seems the people that were hit the hardest though, are at the tail end of getting compensated. That the simple claims have moved and the more complicated but also more devastated claims are often the ones not getting done in a timely way."Criswell: We are working with each person individually, senator, as each has their own unique experience, and the more complicated ones require more information. That's why we want to have the appropriate amount of staff." Criswell said to date, they have paid $1.5 billion in claims.