When the Mountain fire broke out more than two weeks ago, Samuel and Florentino saw a dark black sky and the smell of smoke as they harvested strawberries in an Oxnard field.
The men were more than 25 kilometers away from the fire but the combination of strong winds and smoke was enough to pollute the air. Despite having N95 masks, they were only able to endure the work for about two hours before being sent home due to unstable air quality.
The men gave only their first names to the Times, citing workplace safety concerns.
It was not the first time that wildfire prevented field workers from making a living.
Samuel said he experienced a similar episode while picking fruit in Ventura County during the 2017-2018 Thomas fire.
“The smoke affected me so much that I had to be taken to the hospital because I have breathing problems. It was like I couldn’t breathe,” she said.
The nearly 20,000-acre Mountain Fire was 98% contained as of Tuesday and has destroyed 240 structures, destroyed 125 others and burned about 3,000 acres of farmland.
Another problem caused by this fire is the loss of wages for workers on farms in Ventura County that sell fruits and vegetables.
Samuel and Florentino lost two full days’ wages, which put a financial strain on both of them.
“Who can make money for you to pay for everything you need to live if not you,” said Samuel.
Ventura County officials are gathering information and resources for residents and farmers who have lost property or been injured, but there is no financial safety net for local workers because of their undocumented immigration status, according to local nonprofit groups.
Initial estimates are about $7 million in agricultural losses from the fire, which burned avocados, oranges, raspberries and other crops as well as raspberries, said Korinne Bell, Ventura County agriculture commissioner.
Most of the farming operations in Ventura County are small farmers who may not have crop insurance or are underinsured because fire protection is not available on all farms. California’s basic fire insurance program is limited to covering farm buildings and is expensive, said Maureen McGuire, chief executive officer of the Ventura County Farm Bureau.
“People are really scared and they’re evaluating whether or not they’re going to go back to farming,” McGuire said.
The US Department of Agriculture operates disaster relief programs for eligible farmers that aim to help repair damage to farmland, provide financial assistance or emergency loans, depending on their situation.
Even with some form of disaster relief, Bell said the loss of land, crops and infrastructure, such as sprinkler heads, valves, pipe fittings and pipes, can set a farmer back about six years or more.
The effect on field workers can also be dire.
Besides crops to be harvested, more than 42,000 field workers in Ventura County are without wages in such disasters, said Primitiva Hernández, executive director of 805 Undocufund, a joint effort of immigrant relief organizations in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Three days after the fire started, 805 Undocufund launched an assessment of the needs of field workers and households affected by the Mountain fire.
More than 2,800 people responded as of Thursday, with 91% of those responses coming from field workers. Of all responses, 72% said they lost wages due to air quality or school closures that forced them to leave their jobs to pick up their children, while 14% were evicted from their homes.
The organization collected $150,000 to provide each of the 300 households displaced or farm workers who lost wages with $500 in financial assistance, “which is not even close to the level of need,” said Hernández.
The average undocumented worker makes about $16 an hour, according to the California Immigrant Data Portal. A study on the economic contributions of undocumented workers in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties found that 20% of immigrants in Ventura County live below the poverty line.
Unlike US citizens or green card holders, undocumented farm workers are not eligible for unemployment or disaster benefits.
“See [can’t] I won’t [to] work, even in incredibly dangerous conditions,” said Lucas Zucker, Central Coast Alliance United director of Sustainable Economy.
Hernández said he learned from the assessment of the needs of 805 Undocfund that some farm workers were told by their employers that they chose to work three days after the fire started. Workers, however, were not given any information about air quality, health risks or protective measures that would help them make informed decisions, he said.
Some job sites, including Samuel and Florentino’s, provided them with a mask and a paper to sign, agreeing to be given a face covering.
Working with a face mask is difficult and slows down his normal pace, Florentino said. “The mask doesn’t fit well, it falls off and sometimes smoke feels like it’s coming out,” he said.
Men feel they cannot miss a day’s work. “It doesn’t matter if there’s a fire or a storm” because without a check they won’t be able to pay rent or utilities or take care of children, food and other basic needs and it will be “taken out of our expenses.” houses if we cannot pay our debts,” said Samuel. “Even if we don’t want to work under these conditions, you [financial] what you need, it pushes you to keep working.”
In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom opposed Senate bill 227, which would have created a program similar to unemployment insurance for undocumented workers.
In the first two days of the Mountain Fire, the worst air quality days, advocacy groups, the county agriculture commissioner and the Ventura County Farm Bureau provided many farm workers with N95 masks.
But Florentino and Samuel say there is still a lack of support to help them recover their lost wages.
“I want people to understand where the help is going and where it is still needed,” said Florentino.
“I think the manager should take care of him [employees] so his people can continue to work for him because if he does not support his people, he will lose his harvest,” he said.
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