Help Sierra Breathe

Clearer Air for Sierra Communities During Wildfire Smoke

Help Sierra Breathe brings together community and mutual aid groups from across the Sierra Nevada region and nearby metro areas. Alongside Mask Oakland, the coalition delivers N95 respirator masks to people who have no way to escape dangerous wildfire smoke.

Community members gathering outside a Placerville food cooperative during wildfire smoke conditions
Local groups rallying across the Sierra Nevada
Volunteers preparing N95 respirator masks for distribution to wildfire-affected residents
N95 masks boxed up for direct handoff
Hazy wildfire smoke blanketing a Sierra Nevada community
Hazardous smoke drifts into every size of town
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Why Your Support Makes a Difference

From the smallest rural towns to the largest metro areas, protective masks are in very short supply. Our experienced organizers are acting fast to get masks into the hands of vulnerable people right now. Government agencies and big aid organizations have time and again failed to deliver N95 masks — the most basic defense against wildfire smoke — to the residents who need them most. Together, we can change that.

How Help Sierra Breathe Gets N95 Masks to People

Our coalition of community and mutual aid groups covers the Sierra Nevada region and surrounding metro areas, working in partnership with Mask Oakland. Organizers find people who cannot escape wildfire smoke — from small rural communities to large urban centers — and deliver N95 respirator masks straight to them. Because governments and large aid agencies have repeatedly failed to supply this basic protection, the coalition buys masks in bulk and hands them out through trusted local groups.

How You Can Support the Coalition

There are two direct ways to help us buy and distribute as many N95 masks as we can:

  • Donate: Give a tax-deductible gift through our donation page to fund bulk N95 mask purchases.
  • Volunteer: Get in touch through the volunteer page to help with mask distribution, delivery, outreach, and logistics.

Organizations that want to join the coalition are welcome to get in touch, and anyone looking for smoke safety guidance can browse our wildfire smoke resources.

DonateVolunteerContact UsWildfire Smoke Resources

Our Coalition Partners

Help Sierra Breathe is powered by the community and mutual aid groups listed here. Reach out to add your organization to the coalition, or explore our wildfire smoke resources.

Common Questions

What is Help Sierra Breathe?
Help Sierra Breathe is a coalition of community and mutual aid groups across the Sierra Nevada region and surrounding metro areas. Working with Mask Oakland, it gets N95 respirator masks to people who cannot escape toxic wildfire smoke.
Who does Help Sierra Breathe help?
The coalition serves vulnerable people from the smallest rural towns to the largest metro areas — anyone who cannot escape wildfire smoke and cannot easily obtain an N95 mask.
How can I donate to Help Sierra Breathe?
You can give a tax-deductible donation through the Help Sierra Breathe donation page. Donations go toward buying and distributing as many N95 masks as possible.
How can I volunteer with Help Sierra Breathe?
Head to the volunteer page to get in touch about helping with mask distribution, delivery, outreach, and other support for the coalition’s wildfire smoke response.
Which organizations belong to the Help Sierra Breathe coalition?
Coalition partners include Washoe Basics, Reno/Sparks Mutual Aid, Puff Puff Pass the Love, Mask Oakland, Mask Sonoma, Rural Resistance Placerville, and Black Lives Matter Eldorado County. Organizations can contact Help Sierra Breathe to join.
Where can I find wildfire smoke safety resources?
Help Sierra Breathe publishes wildfire smoke resources on topics such as wearing an N95 mask correctly, reading the Air Quality Index, and cleaning indoor air.

Wildfire smoke can reach Sierra towns and metro neighborhoods alike, and an N95 mask is one of the simplest ways to reduce exposure. Help Sierra Breathe relies on local organizers and mutual aid partners to move masks quickly to the people who need them, and on donations and volunteers to keep that work going.