A year after a wildfire destroyed the western Canadian village of Lytton, residents, municipal leaders, and the British Columbia government are grappling with the slow and costly reality of future-proofing a community against climate change.
The remote village sits at the confluence of the Fraser and Thompson rivers in the high, dry mountains of interior B.C., making it a bullseye for fires and landslides. In June 2021, 90% of Lytton's structures burned down, a day after the village recorded Canada's hottest-ever temperature.
As climate change intensifies the risk of destructive weather is rising, spurring focus on how communities are built. The village also considered burying all its power lines to reduce fire risk, a three-year process, but is now installing temporary overhead lines instead to get the job done in nine months.
In addition, the village sits within the Nlaka'pamux First Nation territory and residents require archaeological surveys to check for indigenous artefacts before rebuilding. The Lytton First Nation, part of the Nlaka'pamux, also lost dozens of homes in the 2021 fire.Around 60% of Lytton residents were uninsured or under-insured, leading to delays in debris removal as residents and insurers grappled with who should pay. In March, the province said it would provide C$18.
Sutherland said while insurers see the benefit of fire resiliency, upgrades to enhance energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions will add "tens of thousands" of dollars per home.
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