'We have that resilience and we are strong': Special ceremony marks 1 year since devastating Lytton fire
Scattered in the rubble are reminders of a community that used to be.
Thousands of tonnes of debris has been removed from what was Lytton, but the clearing of properties does not erase the memories of what happened here one year ago, when the village turned into a raging inferno.
“I heard the explosions and it was just like balls of fire … It was like a horror movie,” said Edith Loring-Kuhanga, a Lytton resident.
“Gas tanks and propane tanks just blowing off, a sound I won’t forget,” recalled evacuee Jeff Chapman, whose parents died in the fire.
Lytton Mayor Jan Polderman said: “It happened in a couple hours. This entire town burned down.”
The cause remains undetermined and a police investigation is ongoing.
June 30 marks one year since the fire. Residents came together Thursday for a special ceremony acknowledging the sombre anniversary. A time capsule, with stories and pictures from residents of what happened, was buried. The capsule will be reopened in 30 years.
Tricia Thorpe was among those who attended the event.
“I think the past year has physically changed people. The stress, the uncertainty, the lack of progress,” she said.
Her husband, Don Glasgow, agrees. It’s been a tough, stress-filled year.
“A rollercoaster year. Slides, washouts, the fire, and my heart attack didn’t help either,” he said.
They live on the outskirts of town and are the only residents who have been able to rebuild.
“I sometimes feel guilty that we’ve got our own place and nobody has anything. It’s not right,” said an emotional Glasgow.
The mayor worries some businesses will be unable to return. Same with residents.
“Either because the job of rebuilding is overwhelming or they don’t have the funds to rebuild,” he explained.
He wants to build a community that is as fire-resistant as possible.
“You have to put a fire-resilient exterior onto your house so if there’s an ember shower, your house doesn’t catch fire.”
But residents are more focused on coming home.
“(Elected officials are) so intent on making a model village or putting in solar sidewalks that they’ve forgotten the most important element of a community and that is its people. People just want to come home,” said Thorpe.
There are some signs of progress in Lytton. A community internet company on Thursday became the first to reopen office space after its building burned in the fire. The new location is above the village and outside the evacuation zone.
The mayor said it’s been a year of learning as they work to rebuild an entire community.
“The lesson learned is this isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon, and the complexity of the rebuild is far greater than most people realize, including myself,” Polderman said.
Meanwhile, residents are findings glimmers of hope despite the devastation.
“We have that resilience and we are strong,” said Loring-Kuhanga.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.