Fire Season
This page is divided into sections - Air Quality, Fire News, Fire Evacuees, Be Ready for Fire Season, and Donate & Volunteer.
Air Quality, Smoke Density, and Health Warnings
PurpleAir - air quality monitor readings current readings from home and area monitors.
AirNow Fire and Smoke Map - readings from government and private monitors, adjusted for a more official number than PurpleAir.
Smoke Outlook from the Air Quality Response Program, for local areas affected by regional fires.
North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District
When the Air is Hazardous or Worse on the Air Quality Index - what you can do. Air quality is unhealthy for everyone when it's above 200 on this index, and hazardous when it's over 300.
Covered California Health Insurance for People Affected by Wildfire
Wildfire Smoke and your health - what you can do.
Wildfire Smoke and Covid-19 - breathing wildfire smoke makes you more vulnerable to the disease.
Wearing a mask & wildfire smoke
Worker Health in Wildfire Regions, Guidance from the California Department of Industrial Relations. See what California experts and laws say about both outdoor workers and indoor workers.
Food Safety in a Power Outage Certain foods can spoil quickly, especially meat, egg-based foods (whole uncooked eggs in the shell are usually OK), dairy, and frozen foods.
Are there Active Fires Near You?
Fire News
UC Fire Activity Map (not an official government map, but combines fire information, and allows you to search for an address)
Twitter Social NetworkHumboldt County Office of Emergency Services
Humboldt County Sheriff - (707) 268-2500 Humboldt Evacuation Orders (if any)
Trinity County Office of Emergency Services - Evac Zones, Fire Info
Hoopa Valley Office of Emergency Services - (530) 625-4366
What to Do if Trapped in Your Car, On Foot, or In a Home
What to Do if Trapped at Home or In the Open
See Local Updates at these Humboldt News Sources
Lost Coast Outpost Redheaded Blackbelt
Eureka Times-Standard NCJ Daily
Roads & Traffic
Caltrans Updates for Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, & Mendocino Counties
California Traffic Information
California Road Conditions Map (Note - use Options tab and select Road Conditions)
Oregon Road Conditions & Traffic Map
Fire Evacuees
530-276-8034 American Red Cross (Assistance, Shelter Info)
707-599-1734 Animal Sheltering (when available in Humboldt)
Humboldt County Food Resources (pdf)
Humboldt County Clothing Resources (pdf)
Fire Emergency Shelters
Humboldt County's Red Cross shelters are opened during active fire disasters. Call 530-276-8034 to check with the Red Cross for updates and other shelter ideas.
Register with FEMA for Longer Term Help
Disaster victims can register with FEMA for help getting shelter (the 'Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program').
Register for Disaster Assistance with FEMA or call 1-800-621-3362. New disaster victim? It's a good idea to apply now even if you have no idea whether any help from FEMA can be useful to you. Failing to register now may disqualify you from aid later when you find out what you need or when special aid is granted.
Post-Fire Guides
Helping Handbook for Wildfire Recovery (2020)
Congressman Huffman's Wildfire Resource Guide (2020)
Step by step insurance help for wildfire damage from UpHelp, a nonprofit group
California Wildfire Recovery Resources - including housing, financial assistance, debris removal, and other programs designed to help wildfire victims.
Disaster Loans The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) wants your family and your business to survive. They offer low-interest disaster loans to those in declared disaster areas, including businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters.
What to expect after a wildfire - including what to check on returning to a burned area, the greater risk of flooding, erosion, mudslides, rockfalls, etc., and two helpful printable guides (guides are dated June 2019).
Care for burned land - Fire Recovery Guide from the California Native Plant Society
Tips from California Fire Survivors
Part A, First Steps After Fire
Part B, Survivors & Insurance Companies
Be Ready for Fire Season
Living with Wildfire in Northwestern California - 74 page booklet on how to prepare, how to evacuate, what to tell kids, and after-fire plans.
WILDFIRE CHECKLISTS
Pack, Quick!
Emergency Packing in 15, 30, or 60 minutes
'Go Bag' Records
Get them ready in advance
- Social Security card
- Identification
- Birth certificate
- Medical cards
- Insurance policies
- Passport
- Car title
- House title
- Photos/videos of your home inside and out.
DONATE OR VOLUNTEER
- Volunteer 707-499-2364
- Donation 707-499-3840
Humboldt CERT Community Emergency Response Team, donate or volunteer.
Humboldt Area Foundation Disaster Response & Resilience Fund
Red Cross Disaster Relief for Fire Victims
Local Red Cross Volunteers are Needed 707-273-8481.
Fire Charities Verified by Charity Navigator
Help fire victims via these charities that are checked and okayed by Charity Navigator, a reliable vetting tool for charities.
Check Before You GiveScammers love to take your money and pretend it's going to help disaster victims. Do give, but here's how to avoid accidentally giving to a con artist.
Advance Planning
Experts, government planners, local citizens, and local agencies have put thought into what our communities need when fire threatens. Visit these links to understand more.
Humboldt County Fire Safety Resources
A collection of useful info tools that can help you protect your home and community.
Humboldt County's Community Wildfire Protection Plan
The plan includes maps of local areas of concern.
The FireSafe Council is a way for neighbors and communities to prepare together to stop fire danger.