Horgan commits support to Lytton, says some residents still unaccounted for after devastating fire

VICTORIA — B.C. Premier John Horgan is committing the province’s support, and relaying the support of the federal government, to the residents of Lytton.

In a conference call with media Thursday (July 1), Horgan and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth confirmed that a wildfire that ripped through Lytton Wednesday destroyed the majority of buildings and infrastructure in the community.

Farnworth noted firefighters from several surrounding jurisdictions responded, ultimately in vain.

“Despite these brave efforts, I report that most homes and structures in the village, as well as the ambulance station and the RCMP detachment have been lost,” Farnworth said. “I also understand that some residents have not been accounted for, and their location is currently being investigated by the RCMP.”

Deaths and injuries in Lytton have not been confirmed. Farnworth urged evacuees to ensure they register with Emergency Social Services, either at a reception site in a surrounding community or online.

Horgan spoke with Lytton Mayor Jan Polderman Thursday morning, and reported Polderman was one of the first to notice the fire the night before.

“There was little or no time to warn the community,” said Horgan. “In fact, it was the mayor himself that got the first whiff of challenge and within minutes, the city was engulfed.”

“Our thoughts are with those who have been evacuated. I know how deeply disconcerting and disorienting it can be to be taken from your homes in a moment’s notice, as was the case in Lytton, without being aware of what’s happening to your neighbours and your friends.”

Horgan acknowledged anecdotal reports that the fire was caused by a passing train, but said that has not yet been confirmed.

He relayed a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in which the two mutually committed to help support Lytton in the weeks and months to come.

“When the smoke clears in Lytton, of course the province will be there to rebuild. I had the opportunity to speak with the Prime Minister this morning and he, too, reinforced the federal government’s desire to be there to help the people of Lytton specifically.”

The Lytton disaster marks just the beginning of what could be a devastating fire season, coming on the heels of one of the driest spring’s on record and an unprecedented late-June heat dome over the entire province.

Emergency officials say 62 new fire starts were recorded from Wednesday to Thursday, in part due to tens of thousands of lightning strikes.

“We may well, depending on how the fire season starts to unfold, require a provincial state of emergency, such as we have seen in past fire seasons in this province,” Farnworth warned.

Horgan first became premier in the midst of the record-setting 2017 wildfire season, and says he has been repeatedly encouraged by the fighting spirit of British Columbians in the face of monumental disasters.

“The resilience of British Columbians, the resilience of those who live in rural B.C. and face the threats of fires on an annual basis, when it comes so close to home and, in fact, when it completely eliminates your main street,” Horgan said. “Nothing is more important than holding together and having all British Columbians thinking, being concerned and also offering the help that we can to make sure that we all get through this together.”