{"id":177,"date":"2022-05-05T15:27:25","date_gmt":"2022-05-05T19:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/?post_type=chapter&p=177"},"modified":"2023-01-06T12:52:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-06T17:52:00","slug":"lived-experiences","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/chapter\/lived-experiences\/","title":{"raw":"Lived Experiences","rendered":"Lived Experiences"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n

The Lytton Creek Fire in Lytton, British Columbia, Canada (June 2021)<\/h2>\r\nCamchin, also known as the Village of Lytton is located at the confluence of the Fraser River and the Thompson River and is home to the Lytton First Nation. Camchin, meaning the river meeting, is a place where over 250 residents once called home before the wildfire swept through the valley on the last day of the month in June 2021. The day before, the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada, at 49.6 \u00b0C sparked concern for local inhabitants.[footnote]List of extreme temperatures in Canada. (2021, December 3). In Wikipedia. https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_extreme_temperatures_in_Canada<\/a>[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nFollowing this record setting day and 71km\/h winds that pushed the fire north into the community of Lytton, it quickly burned down the village. On top of this tremendous disaster, residents were given a mere \u201c15 minutes to gather their belongings and evacuate the town\u201d, fleeing in all directions to find a safe place for the night and coming days.[footnote]Romer, A. (2021, July 8). On the ground with Lytton wildfire evacuees. https:\/\/thenarwhal.ca\/lytton-bc-wildfire-evacuees<\/a>\/[\/footnote] It is important to note that \u201cFirst Nations account for 40 per cent of evacuations in Canada, yet make up only four per cent of Canada\u2019s overall population\u201d and this highlights the systemic inequalities in this country\u2013a place where environmental racism is present in the height of the climate crisis.[footnote]Struzik, E. (2021, July 5). The future of fire in Canada. https:\/\/thetyee.ca\/Analysis\/2021\/07\/05\/The-Fire-Future-In-Canada<\/a>\/[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nMembers of the community are still struggling to get back on their feet after this blaze tore through their town. 90% of structures were burnt down, leaving little for people to call this place their home.[footnote]Hurst, A. & Kotyk, A. (2021, July 1). Lytton fire: Residents unaccounted for; most of BC village destroyed, officials say. https:\/\/bc.ctvnews.ca\/lytton-fire-90-per-cent-of-b-c-villagehas-burned-in-devastating-blaze-local-mp-says-1.5493293<\/a>[\/footnote] Five months later, the provincial government decided to allocate $1 million dollars in the shape of a grant that can support the Village of Lytton throughout an economic recovery that can be used towards efforts for operational activities and the local economy.[footnote]BC Government News. (2021, December 8). Grant to support Lytton\u2019s wildfire recovery. https:\/\/news.gov.bc.ca\/25913<\/a>[\/footnote] Under this recovery grant, key areas are addressed such as temporary housing, a First Nations account for 40% of evacuations recovery team, and safe return; however, is it enough to address all the ailments that this wildfire has caused for this community? How can they prepare for the next flood, fire, and heat wave?\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"
\n

The Lytton Creek Fire in Lytton, British Columbia, Canada (June 2021)<\/h2>\n

Camchin, also known as the Village of Lytton is located at the confluence of the Fraser River and the Thompson River and is home to the Lytton First Nation. Camchin, meaning the river meeting, is a place where over 250 residents once called home before the wildfire swept through the valley on the last day of the month in June 2021. The day before, the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada, at 49.6 \u00b0C sparked concern for local inhabitants.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Following this record setting day and 71km\/h winds that pushed the fire north into the community of Lytton, it quickly burned down the village. On top of this tremendous disaster, residents were given a mere \u201c15 minutes to gather their belongings and evacuate the town\u201d, fleeing in all directions to find a safe place for the night and coming days.[2]<\/sup><\/a> It is important to note that \u201cFirst Nations account for 40 per cent of evacuations in Canada, yet make up only four per cent of Canada\u2019s overall population\u201d and this highlights the systemic inequalities in this country\u2013a place where environmental racism is present in the height of the climate crisis.[3]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Members of the community are still struggling to get back on their feet after this blaze tore through their town. 90% of structures were burnt down, leaving little for people to call this place their home.[4]<\/sup><\/a> Five months later, the provincial government decided to allocate $1 million dollars in the shape of a grant that can support the Village of Lytton throughout an economic recovery that can be used towards efforts for operational activities and the local economy.[5]<\/sup><\/a> Under this recovery grant, key areas are addressed such as temporary housing, a First Nations account for 40% of evacuations recovery team, and safe return; however, is it enough to address all the ailments that this wildfire has caused for this community? How can they prepare for the next flood, fire, and heat wave?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

  1. List of extreme temperatures in Canada. (2021, December 3). In Wikipedia. https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_extreme_temperatures_in_Canada<\/a> ↵<\/a><\/li>
  2. Romer, A. (2021, July 8). On the ground with Lytton wildfire evacuees. https:\/\/thenarwhal.ca\/lytton-bc-wildfire-evacuees<\/a>\/ ↵<\/a><\/li>
  3. Struzik, E. (2021, July 5). The future of fire in Canada. https:\/\/thetyee.ca\/Analysis\/2021\/07\/05\/The-Fire-Future-In-Canada<\/a>\/ ↵<\/a><\/li>
  4. Hurst, A. & Kotyk, A. (2021, July 1). Lytton fire: Residents unaccounted for; most of BC village destroyed, officials say. https:\/\/bc.ctvnews.ca\/lytton-fire-90-per-cent-of-b-c-villagehas-burned-in-devastating-blaze-local-mp-says-1.5493293<\/a> ↵<\/a><\/li>
  5. BC Government News. (2021, December 8). Grant to support Lytton\u2019s wildfire recovery. https:\/\/news.gov.bc.ca\/25913<\/a> ↵<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1076,"menu_order":5,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-177","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":167,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1076"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/177\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":443,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/177\/revisions\/443"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/167"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/177\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=177"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=177"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcwildfires\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}