A Canadian couple is spending their vacation helping victims of the California wildfires after their Airbnb was burned to the ground.
A smoky tent city in a Walmart parking lot was not where Paul and Destinee Klyne planned to spend their holiday.
But when the Penticton, B.C. pair witnessed the devastation from the ongoing fire – which has left 74 dead and more than a thousand people unaccounted for – they knew they had to do something to help.
Since Tuesday, they’ve been coming to the lot in the city of Chico, 70 kilometres from the fire zone, where hundreds of evacuees are living, to hand out food and provide emotional support.
“We just took advantage of the [plane] tickets we already had,” Paul told CTV Vancouver.
“They're devastated completely, there are horrible stories like that and on the flip side we see people running to embrace people and say ‘I'm so happy you're alive.’”
The couple were due to stay near the small town of Paradise, which has been incinerated, leaving at least 71 people dead.
Hundreds of Californians, mostly seniors, are still missing and tens of thousands have been displaced.
The Klynes’ vacation was supposed to be full of rest and relaxation, complete with a spa getaway and visits with friends. They left their son at home so they could really unwind – but once they saw what was happening, their plans changed.
“There’s so much help that’s needed, so many people are displaced,” Paul said.
“The biggest thing we're doing is bringing some love from north of the border.”
Living in the Okanagan, Klyne said his family is no stranger to wildfires, but it was hard to compare what they’ve experienced in B.C. with what’s currently happening in California.
The couple plan to fly home to Penticton on Sunday.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson
