The Saw Creek wildfire in Lytton remains an estimated 704 hectares in size as of Monday morning, June 22.
In a 10:15 a.m. update from BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), fire activity decreased overnight due to lighter winds and cooler temperatures. However, it is still burning from Rank 1-3. The different Ranks can be found on the provincial website.
TNRD director Tricia Thorpe confirmed to Black Press Media that at least one structure has been lost.
“We do have one resident in the TNRD that lost their home,” said Thorpe, adding it was the only one she could comment on out of respect to the local residents.
An evacuation order remains an effect for approximately three properties in the village as well as 12 properties in Electoral Area “l” or Blue Sky Country.
An amended evacuation alert is now in place for approximately 212 addressed properties in the Village of Lytton and two addressed properties in Electoral Area “l”. An evacuation order is also in place for Klahkamich IR 17 and Kitzowitz IR 20.
At 7 p.m. on June 21, the evacuation order for 47 properties in the Village of Lytton was downgraded to an evacuation alert.
On Monday, Highway 1 remains closed from Boston Bar to just south of Cache Creek.
Currently, BCWS has 150 firefighting personnel, an incident management team, 10 helicopters, five pieces of heavy equipment, and 53 structure protection personnel on scene.
In the response update, it states that crews including structure protection personnel have prioritized defending structures from the blaze. Meanwhile, ground and aircraft crews continues to secure the perimeter of the province’s only current wildfire of note.
“Crews are using direct attack methods working along the north and south flanks of the fire to suppress active fire spread where it is safe to do so and establish control lines,” BCWS’s Monday morning update reads. “Along the north flank crews are establishing a 50-foot control line along the Lytton drainage working upslope. Danger trees assessments and falling are being completed along the highway corridor while also establishing a 100-foot control line long between the Trans-Canada Highway to the Fraser River.”
BCWS is expecting fire activity to increase throughout the day due to the temperature reaching between the high-20s and low-30s, the relative humidity being lower, and possible increased wind gusts in the afternoon.
“I hope everything remains the way it is and that we continue to get a handle on it,” Thorpe said. “As usual, big shout out to the wildfire crews, to all the volunteer firefighters from other communities that have come in, and to the community as a whole.”
She added there are other wildfire groups on scene helping watch out for important infrastructure and buildings.
Thorpe added she’s proud of the community for how its come together and using its experience from the fire that destroyed the village five years ago.
“The community has pulled together on this incredibly well,” Thorpe said. “And just the communication in place, it has been, in my opinion, so much better than what happened in 2021. We’re resilient and we are connected. That’s what I’m seeing this go around. We’ve had the chance to connect and learn from 2021. And I think we’re in a much better position going forward.”
An evacuation centre is set up at Lytton First Nation Battlefield Community Hall, located at 1756 Battlefield Rd.