TORONTO (Reuters) – The Lytton First Nation is once again forced to evacuate their homes as massive wildfires rage in the Canadian province of British Columbia. This Indigenous community has yet to rebuild dozens of buildings that were destroyed in a devastating fire two years ago.
On Friday, the First Nation ordered the evacuation of 14 people. By Sunday, the out-of-control Stein Mountain fire was only 300 meters away from reserve land. It was rapidly descending a steep slope, making it difficult for firefighters to combat the blaze, according to Chief Niakia Hanna.
Canada is currently experiencing an unprecedented wildfire season, with over 100,000 square kilometers burned so far – four times the average area burned in a typical season.
In 2021, a fire destroyed much of the nearby village of Lytton, as well as administrative buildings and 41 homes belonging to First Nation members, Hanna revealed. The community had hoped to begin reconstruction this autumn. The current fire is approximately 12 miles away from the 2021 blaze.
“The trauma from such an experience is ongoing. Even the smell of smoke in the air is enough to trigger those recurring feelings and fear,” said Hanna.
About 800 residents of British Columbia are currently under evacuation orders. As of Monday morning, nearly 400 wildfires were burning in the province, including 14 that were considered “wildfires of note” due to their visibility or the threat they posed to public safety.
The province is facing a “double-edged sword” on Monday, with thunderstorms in the interior that could bring much-needed rainfall but also lightning strikes that may spark more fires, according to meteorologist Ken Dosanjh from Environment Canada. Cooler weather is expected in the coming days before temperatures rise again early next week.
These Canadian wildfires have displaced thousands of people, destroyed property, and caused air quality alerts that have impacted 100 million Americans.
The blazes have also released 290 million tonnes of carbon, double the previous annual record set in 2014, according to the EU’s Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service.
Hanna hopes that this year’s fires serve as a wakeup call to authorities regarding the resources needed to effectively manage these disasters.
“We are facing an unprecedented fire season. I don’t think the province or Canada was prepared or had the ability to respond effectively,” Hanna stated.
(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Conor Humphries)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
