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A flying armada organized by volunteer pilots flying private aircraft today delivered 100,000 KN95 respirators from Direct Relief’s California-based humanitarian distribution center to residents and firefighters in Oregon’s worst-hit fire-zones.

The volunteer pilots from the California Pilots Association Disaster Airlift Response Team (CalDART) and Angel Flight West loaded their planes at Santa Barbara Airport Saturday morning with the Direct Relief-donated materials before departing for Eugene, Oregon, some via secondary staging areas at Northern California airports.

“Hopefully, the rain expected this weekend in Oregon will bring much-needed moisture to the area,” said Levi Maaia, a volunteer pilot and flight operations coordinator for CalDART based in Santa Barbara. “I’ll be keeping a close watch on the weather and smoke conditions as I plan my flight from here to Eugene in our Cessna.”

Direct Relief: California Relief Squadron Flies Aid to Wildfire-Scarred Oregon
KEYT Newschannel 3: Santa Barbara pilots, Direct Relief airlift supplies to Oregon firefighters
KEZI 9 News: Pilots from California deliver medical supplies to Eugene
KTVZ Newschannel 21: Calif. volunteer pilots fly medical supplies to Oregon for residents, firefighters