Community Safety & Awareness Report – January 3, 2025

Humboldt County’s Roads Division has issued an update on current road and bridge conditions in our area. With ongoing heavy rains and rising water levels, several roads and a bridge are either flooded or closed. The following roads are currently impacted by flooding:

• Old Arcata Road between Graham Road and Jacoby Creek Road.
• Berta Road.
• Mitchell Road at Browns Road.
• Freshwater Road at Howard Heights Road, and again about half a mile west of Howard Heights Road.
• Howard Heights Road itself.
• Pine Hill Road, between Elk River and Meyers Avenue.
• Little Hookton, between Tompkins Hill Road and Highway 101.
• Walnut Drive at Redwood, where one lane is currently underwater.

If you must travel in these areas, use extreme caution, or better yet, avoid them altogether until the water recedes. The following are roads completely closed due to flooding or hazardous conditions:

• Tye City Road.
• Chemise Mountain Road, which will remain closed until further notice.
• Coffee Creek Road.
• Eel River Road at Hookton Road.
• Telegraph Road near the water treatment plant.

Additionally, the Jack Shaw Road bridge is also closed. Stay informed, stay cautious, and please don’t drive through standing water—it’s impossible to tell how deep it might be. We’ll continue to bring you updates as the situation evolves. Stay safe and stay tuned.

Mendocino County residents can receive food assistance today at the Fort Bragg Food Bank from 12 noon to 3 pm today at 910 north Franklin Street in Fort Bragg. The Willits Food Bank also offers food distribution today from 1-430 pm at 229 east San Francisco Street in Willits. Call 459-3333 for details.   For a hot meal, Fort Bragg residents can visit the First Baptist Church at noon today on the corner of Franklin & Pine in Fort Bragg. Call 964-3422 for more information. Seniors in Willits can participate in the Willits Seniors Home Meal Delivery program, Monday through Friday. Contact 459-6826 if you’d like information on this program. 

The Eureka Choice Pantry will be open today at 307 West 14th Street from 10 am until 3:45 pm. 

The Northern California Community Blood Bank’s blood mobile will be at Walmart located at 3300 Broadway in Eureka from 10 am until 4 pm, and at Walmart located at 900 East Washington Boulevard in Crescent City from 11 am until 4 pm. And as always, the blood bank is open Monday thru Friday, located at 2524 Harrison Avenue in Eureka. To schedule an appointment to donate, visit nccbb.net 

You are invited to tune in to KMUD tonight from 7 to 8 for Discussions. Michael McKaskel will be joined by Dan Glazer to talk about the current situation in Palestine. Join the conversation at 707-923-3911. That’s Discussions tonight between 7 and 8 pm only on K-M-U-D.

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CAL FIRE has lifted the requirement for residents in the state responsibility area to obtain a CAL FIRE burn permit, however, an air quality air permit is required year round to avoid receiving a violation. 

Today, Friday, January 3rd IS a permissive burn day in Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity counties. 

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For more information, to get an air quality permit, and to make sure it is a permissive burn day:

• Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte County residents can call the North Coast Air Quality Management District at 1 866 burn day or 1-866-287-6329. 
• Mendocino County residents can call 707-463-4391. or you can go online to mendoair.org for an air quality permit.

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This concludes the Community Safety and Awareness Report, which can be heard weekdays at 11am, 3pm, and as needed right here on KMUD and now online at wordpress-1438018-5376424.cloudwaysapps.com.