Survivors of Lytton, B.C., fire grapple with a new reality: most of their town is gone
Cle-Ann Coghlan and her family are safe in Lillooet but their house in Lytton, B.C., is gone.
“I don’t feel like I’ve even processed or even gotten to the point where I can feel that sadness,” she told CTV News Vancouver. “Because I’m just trying to make sure that each day is good for the kids.”
CTV News obtained exclusive video on the ground in Lytton, showing the destruction the fire left in its wake. Next to nothing is left standing in the town after a fire roared through Wednesday, which gave residents just minutes to pack and get out.
“I do miss my Pokémon cards and my stuffies,” said Anniah Coghlan, Cle-Ann’s seven-year-old daughter.
Brandon Flaig and his family were driving on Highway 1 near Lytton, on their way to their cabin, when they noticed a train on fire Wednesday afternoon.
“There was a rail cart full of lumber,” he said, and both the bridge and train car were on fire.
“It was right in the middle of the bridge so it was hard to access right?”
The cause of the Lytton fire is still under investigation, but Flaig said this one happened at about 3:20pm Wednesday about 10 or 15 kilometres from Lytton, just north of Boston Bar.
“Not 100 per cent (sure) that (it was) the fire that went to Lytton, but it was pretty obvious with the way the wind was blowing, it was heading that way,” he said.
The death toll remains at two, and the BC Coroners service told CTV News that it hasn’t had any new reports of deaths.
The mayor and province are still trying to get a handle on how many people are missing. They’re asking all evacuees to register so they can count. More than 1,000 people were forced to evacuate the town.
The Lytton Creek fire is still classified as out of control and as of Saturday afternoon was more than 8,700 hectares.
“We are expecting continued growth, despite the heat dome dissipating, we are still seeing those hot interior summer temperatures, accompanied with wind ... which makes firefighting efforts challenging,” said Jean Strong, fire information officer.
A gofundme page has been set up for the Coghlan family, to help them put their lives back together. There are several other gofundme pages for other groups and families, as well as a general fund for Lytton residents.
“We love our town so we hope to get back there,” Coghlan said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honored short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
Hot history: Tree rings show that last northern summer was the warmest since year 1
The broiling summer of 2023 was the hottest in the Northern Hemisphere in more than 2,000 years, a new study found.
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.