The Village of Lytton on July 9, 2021, one week after a massive wildfire ripped through the town. (Jenna Hauck/Chilliwack Progress)

The Village of Lytton on July 9, 2021, one week after a massive wildfire ripped through the town. (Jenna Hauck/Chilliwack Progress)

B.C. funds first steps of Lytton rebuild, restoring village records

Water systems, debris removal and environmental work

The B.C. government has committed $6.26 million for work on the restoration of the village of Lytton in the Fraser Canyon, destroyed by wildfire in June 2021.

Repairs to the water and wastewater system, debris removal and environmental and archaeological remediation are the first priority, Municipal Affairs Minister Josie Osborne announced Wednesday. Another $2.1 million is being provided to support the village government that lost most of its property tax base and records, and rebuild its services over three years.

Lytton Mayor Jan Polderman said the funds will help the village replace its records and bylaws, after all of its records and backup servers were destroyed.

“The village rebuild has been incredibly complex and the documents’ recovery is no exception,” Polderman said Feb. 9. “We are grateful to now have access to funding in order to put in place the framework and increase capacity to get the reconstruction underway, which will allow us to ramp up the infrastructure rebuild.”

Emergency Management B.C. reports that 187 of 193 residential and business properties in the village experienced damage that reduced property assessment.

RELATED: Lytton has a long history of disastrous wildfires

RELATED: Lytton fire damage estimate rises to $102 million


@tomfletcherbc
tfletcher@blackpress.ca

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B.C. Wildfires 2021