The Bald Range wildfire is forcing dozens of foreign workers hired by Okanagan farms to head home early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They were evacuated from Summerland in a helicopter before struggling through bureaucratic hold-ups at evacuation centres earlier this month. They’re taking a plane back to Mexico before harvest is finished, according to the non-profit Kelowna Community Resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Migrant outreach worker Byron Bucardo said the evacuation was a “scary, traumatic experience,” made worse by bouncing between shelters to find a bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 47 workers could only grab their phones and passports before loading into helicopters to be evacuated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their stays were refused at a Penticton shelter on the night of Aug. 7 before heading back through Summerland to West Kelowna Arena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlthough they did feel welcomed here, they were again told that the shelter was for BC residents and so they would only be able to stay for two nights maximum,\u201d Bucardo said in a news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Help from BC’s agriculture minister got the workers an extra night of shelter and food to last them until they were relocated, but they won’t be staying in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTheir employer tried to help them locate other positions, but there are none available so they have to go home, without the money they were expecting to bring for their families,” Bucardo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n