Mayor Denise O’Connor and Lytton’s four councilors voted unanimously on Wednesday to end the extension of the local state of emergency. This is an important step, Councilwoman Jennifer Thoss said during the meeting. The end of the local emergency, which was triggered on June 30, 2021, means the evacuation order is lifted and reconstruction work can be accelerated.
Build as fast as possible
A report by the Chief Administration Officer to Lytton City Council in early June recalled that a state of emergency had been declared at the site for reasons of safety, property protection and to allow rehabilitation work to be carried out.
It states: With the cancellation of the declaration of emergency, residents no longer have restricted access to their property. This allows owners to assess how they should possibly care for their property and begin planning for reconstruction.
The report went on to say that this local state of emergency has been renewed weekly since late June 2021 to allow workers and crew access to private property under the City of British Columbia’s Emergency Program Act. However, British Columbia (Emergency Program Act) was no longer needed.
Notices of such cancellation will be posted on the website and at a village office established near the Boston Bar Community and other locations.
The flames destroyed almost the entire village of Lytton.
Photo: Radio Canada / Simon Gohier
The slow pace of Lytton’s reconstruction has caused frustration for many residents. About 250 people once had a home in Lytton, while the Lytton First Nation has 56 communities in and around the village.
The residents of these communities lost everything in this wildfire, which was preceded by a record heatwave. Houses and shops were destroyed to the ground and two people lost their lives.
A rally was held in May to lay the groundwork for economic recovery with a new stimulus package when almost everything is to be rebuilt.
A year after the fire that devastated the village of Lytton, the rubble was still clearly visible.
Photo: Radio Canada / Simon Gohier
Ottawa and Victoria put their hands in their pockets
A year ago, the federal government announced it would spend $77 million to help rebuild the village to make it more fire-resistant. Much of this funding will be spent on new fire-resistant public buildings such as community centers and libraries.
The provincial government has allocated more than US$49 million for reconstruction. In June 2022, the province declared: We will not stop working until everyone comes home.
With files by Chad Pawson