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From the Yurok Tribe:

The Yurok Tribal Council declared a State of Emergency today in response to the Tully Fire, which has already forced several local families to evacuate, consumed one home and caused a prolonged power outage.

Photo: Yurok Tribe.

The purpose of the declaration is to mobilize a coordinated Tribal response to this crisis. A team of Tribal staff has already begun working on a plan to assist the families required to leave their homes by the burgeoning forest fire.

“Our hearts go out to all of the people that have been affected by this fire,” said Thomas P. O’Rourke Sr., Chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “We will do everything we can to help the evacuees stay safe, sheltered and supplied with food, while they are out of their homes.”

The Tully Fire started Monday afternoon, just below Highway 169 on the eastern side of the Yurok Reservation and is comprised of three separate blazes. Fire crews, led by Cal Fire, stifled two of the smaller fires. The main fire has burned approximately 500 acres and continues to burn in the steep, forested terrain. The uncontrolled conflagration incinerated power poles supplying electricity to residents living off the highway and continues to threaten at least 30 homes occupied by Yurok Tribal members and non-Indians. PG&E was on site today assessing the damage and staging materials. Currently, there is no estimated time for when power will be restored.

The Tully Fire is the largest fire on the Yurok Reservation in about 20 years

In addition to the emergency declaration, the Yurok Tribal Council passed a resolution to provide direct assistance, such as food, water and temporary housing to those forced to flee the fire area.
Dean Baker is the Yurok Tribe’s Emergency Manager and Public Works Department director. Baker is a Yurok Tribal member, military veteran and FEMA-trained emergency manager.

Yurok Tribal staff went door to door today to do welfare checks and to speak with residents near the fire area to let them know about the evacuation orders and emergency shelter. The Red Cross shelter is open at the Hoopa Neighborhood Facility, located in Hoopa at 11900 Hwy 96.

The Tully Fire is currently burning upslope from Highway 169, near Upper Kepel Road. The state route is closed from Mitchell Road to McKinnon Hill Road.Yurok Tribal staff went door to door today to do welfare checks and to speak with residents near the fire area to let them know about the evacuation orders and emergency shelter. The Red Cross shelter is open at the Hoopa Neighborhood Facility, located in Hoopa at 11900 Hwy 96. A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for the following areas: Gibbens Road, Peters Lane, Jack Ranch Lane and McKinnon Hill Road. An evacuation warning is in place for Lower Kepel Road. The one-lane highway is the only way in and out of the Pecwan area. There are 800 fire fighters are aggressively implementing several different strategies to contain the fire.

“We would like to sincerely thank the hundreds of fire personnel that rapidly responded to the reservation to help us,” concluded Chairman O’Rourke.

On Monday, Yurok Tribal staff provided transportation to those in need, went door to door to perform welfare checks and offered information about the evacuation orders. They also gave residents directions to an emergency shelter set up by the Red Cross. The shelter is at the Hoopa Neighborhood Facility, 11900 Hwy 96.

The Tully Fire is the largest fire on the Yurok Reservation in about 20 years. Fire investigators believe that arson is the cause of this wildfire. 
“The individual or individuals responsible for starting this fire must be held accountable,” Chairman O’Rourke said.

Anyone with information about the arson is strongly encouraged to contact the Yurok Public Safety Department. Yurok Public Safety can be reached at (707) 482-8185.