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LYTTON – British Columbia’s auditor general says his office is reviewing the province’s response to the 2021 wildfire that devastated the community of Lytton.
Michael Pickup says in a video statement that the report will focus on the British Columbia government’s roles and responsibilities for disaster recovery, its support for Lytton, including funding, the challenges that came with rebuilding, and how the province can improve.
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On June 30, 2021, just one day after Lytton hit a Canadian record temperature of 49.6 C, a wildfire swept through the village, killing two people and wiping out almost the entire community.
Efforts to rebuild and return people to their homes have been slow, sparking protests from residents.
Thousands of artifacts were discovered while excavating the area, which was the village and cemetery of the Nlaka’pamux First Nation and is protected by the British Columbia Heritage Conservation Act.
Lytton issued its first building permit for a single-family home in the city center last November, four months after infill work began on properties destroyed by the fire.
Jackie Tegart, BC United MLA for Fraser-Nicola, who has been calling for an audit since last year, said in a statement that it is encouraging that an investigation is taking place and “deeply disappointing” that the government has not prioritized the return of residents.
“To date not a single house has been rebuilt. The government’s lack of action says a lot about its commitment to those affected,” says Tegart, who represents the area in the legislature.
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“This investigation should be a turning point. I hope it sheds light on this government’s delays and provides a clear way forward. “I will continue to push for accountability to ensure the Lytton community can return home.”
Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management, said in a statement Wednesday that the government will support the auditor general’s work.
“We continue to support the Village of Lytton in its recovery work and have funded work such as the remediation of the site and the re-establishment of essential infrastructure and services,” the statement said.
“Our priority remains helping Lytton progress its rebuild and I am pleased to see work is getting underway and more planning permission is being issued.”
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