Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
National

Glimmer of hope in Lytton rebuild after wildfire

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Feb, 2022 10:46 AM
  • Glimmer of hope in Lytton rebuild after wildfire

Denise O'Connor is back in Lytton, B.C., living in the home where she spent her childhood years.

But it's not where she was living last summer when a wildfire swept through the Fraser Canyon village and destroyed almost everything in its path, including the house with a river view where O'Connor, 63, lived for more than 30 years.

"I'm not kidding, I couldn't believe what I was seeing with the smoke," she said in an interview. "I saw trees on fire. I could tell buildings were on fire. I grabbed some things and we got in the car and left."

The fire on June 30 roared through Lytton just one day after the temperature in the village hit an all-time Canadian high of 49.6 C.

O'Connor said after living in a motel in Kamloops, a temporary vacation rental in Merritt and with her daughter in Quesnel, she returned to Lytton in the fall with her husband Chris. They moved into her father's home, which was missed by the fire.

"Everywhere we lived, it wasn't home," she said.

The possibility of future homecomings for Lytton residents recently took a step forward after more than seven months of inertia from the provincial and local governments, O'Connor said.

"We've been told so many times, soon, soon," said O'Connor, who has raised concerns about the recovery process since the fire. "It's going to happen soon. It never has. It's moved way too slowly."

Lytton Mayor Jan Polderman said he became emotional at a recent council meeting when he announced B.C. government funding of $8.3 million to support ongoing operations and recovery for the village.

"You've got to realize, I mean, the village was within a week or two weeks of not being able to meet its bills," Polderman said this week in an interview.

"The Village of Lytton would have been no more," he said. "We were broke. We've been broke for quite a while."

The council has now started the long-awaited process of hiring a contractor to start removing debris before new homes can be built, possibly by this fall, Polderman said.

With so much infrastructure destroyed, Polderman said the municipality has a chance to rebuild differently, but it must weigh the costs and time.

Council has approved grant applications that allow it to explore plans for a new sewage system, net-zero building construction and an analysis of advancements in infrastructure, he said.

"We don't want to invest in technologies that don't have a payback to them or don't work," Polderman told a recent online council meeting.

He said the village has heard presentations about solar sidewalks, solar roads, electric smart grids and electric storage.

BC Hydro has briefed council on the differences between installing underground or above ground power lines. A Hydro official said above ground power would take six to nine months to build at no cost to the village, but power below ground would take up to 29 months to complete and come with a $4 million cost.

The council has also heard from the Insurance Bureau of Canada that delays in recovery and reconstruction costs have increased insured damage estimates to $102 million from $78 million. Rob de Pruis, the bureau's consumer and industry relations director, told council that living expenses for insured homeowners are not infinite and most policies include time limits to settle claims.

"We want to support the community as best we can," he said.

Jackie Tegart, a B.C. Liberal who represents Lytton in the legislature, said the province's NDP government did not move quickly enough to help Lytton following the fire. Now, more than seven months later, people are frustrated and angry, she said.

"The provincial government has a role to play here, and I would suggest to you dribs and drabs are not good enough," she said in an interview. "We need consistency. We need a vision. We need a plan, and here we are seven months later."

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said the government is committed to rebuilding Lytton.

"Recovery is never quick," he said in an interview. "In this particular case, you're dealing with a community that lost its infrastructure, everything. I totally understand it's frustrating for people who want to rebuild. We want them to be able to rebuild as well."

O'Connor said residents realized shortly after the fire that the council did not have the resources to manage the aftermath of the disaster, but the province was slow to react.

"We saw nothing for four or five months. We didn't have a clue what was going on."

Chief Janet Webster of the Lytton First Nation said she was able to receive federal and provincial funds shortly after the fire and clearing work is underway to put in temporary modular homes for many of its 160 members who are living away from the band's territory.

"We're moving slowly but surely," she said. "Once we start seeing the modular homes come in, I think it will be a little relief for the people so they can come back home."

John Haugen, a Lytton First Nation member who was living in the village at the time of the fire, said his uninsured home was destroyed in the blaze.

Haugen, who has lived with friends in Merritt, Boston Bar and the Lytton area since the fire, said his extended family lost four homes and one business on Main Street.

"I can see my way out of this because it's something we were meant to do," he said. "If the challenge is there, you have to just overcome it. You can't sit back and wait. But there are a lot of barriers in place."

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Historic Vancouver cannon silenced indefinitely

Historic Vancouver cannon silenced indefinitely
A statement from the board says the type of black powder needed to fire the five-kilogram, muzzle-loaded naval cannon is difficult to find in most parts of the world but it will continue to search for alternative stocks.    

Historic Vancouver cannon silenced indefinitely

Largest illicit fentanyl seizure in detachment history: Ridge Meadows RCMP

Largest illicit fentanyl seizure in detachment history: Ridge Meadows RCMP
In June of 2021, the SEU began an investigation into alleged street level drug activity. The investigation led police to properties in Maple Ridge and New Westminster. Utilizing covert strategies police were able to further the investigation and obtain search warrants.    

Largest illicit fentanyl seizure in detachment history: Ridge Meadows RCMP

Military sex misconduct deal hit by privacy breach

Military sex misconduct deal hit by privacy breach
Retired master corporal Amy Green said she was shocked when she discovered she had been sent names, email addresses and claim numbers, which she said is enough information to access certain parts of a claimant’s file.

Military sex misconduct deal hit by privacy breach

IHIT called to Langley, man found dead

IHIT called to Langley, man found dead
The area surrounding the scene will be cordoned off for a significant amount of time. 224 Street is currently closed between 16th and 24th Avenues. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has been called and will be working in partnership with Langley RCMP.

IHIT called to Langley, man found dead

Poll: 29% of Canadians want restrictions lifted

Poll: 29% of Canadians want restrictions lifted
Forty-three per cent of Canadians surveyed by Leger identified their feelings about the current state of the pandemic as "prudent" — the most popular answer of four options — saying they did not want to lift restrictions too quickly.

Poll: 29% of Canadians want restrictions lifted

Male in Surrey shooting of Fraser Heights area passes away

Male in Surrey shooting of Fraser Heights area passes away
The male victim has succumbed to his injuries and the investigation has been turned over to Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT). Any further inquiries regarding this investigation will be handled by IHIT.

Male in Surrey shooting of Fraser Heights area passes away