Hoopa firefighter Andrew Sorrell helps K’ima:w Medical Center CEO Emmett Chase load more than 1,000 N95 masks that will be distributed to the Hoopa Community throughout the remainder of the wildfire season

Hoopa Valley Tribal Council press release:

The Hoopa Valley Tribe’s Office of Emergency Services received a shipment of N95 respirator masks today from United Indian Health Services to aid in relief of wildfire smoke exposure. If used correctly, masks can be effective at filtering out particulate matter in the air, but they do not provide filtration for other toxins found in wildfire smoke.

Masks will be distributed at K’ima:w Medical Center during their regular business hours. All tribal departments will receive enough masks for their employees.

Air quality conditions in Hoopa have ranged from GOOD to UNHEALTHY periodically throughout the day varying greatly with changing weather patterns. An approaching cold front could bring a few hours of wet weather to the area providing some relief from smoke and opportunity for firefighters to make more progress on fire complexes in Humboldt and Trinity Counties. Smoke today was primarily confined to areas closest to the active burning. The Hoopa area experienced a peak of about 225at 2 p.m., which is classified as VERY UNHEALTHY on the Air Quality Index over a one-hour duration. By 3 p.m., an afternoon wind carried smoke out of the valley and levels were 52, which is classified as MODERATE.

Below is a list of Cleaner Air Facilities:

HOOPA - Neighborhood Facilities Building
Highway, 96, Hoopa.
Open Monday-Sunday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

HOOPA - Senior Nutrition Center (seniors only)
Loop Road, Hoopa.
Open Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

WILLOW CREEK - Community Resource Center
38883 Highway 299, Willow Creek.
Open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

WEITCHPEC - Libby Nix Community Center
2301 Highway 96, Weitchpec
Open 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
(530) 625-4130