LOCAL NEWS RCMP investigation into Lytton fire continues

On the second anniversary of the fire that destroyed most of the Village of Lytton, the RCMP said it continues to investigate the blaze.

On June 30, 2021, amid a heat dome that led to Lytton recording Canada’s highest-ever temperature of 49.6 C, flames razed almost all buildings in the Fraser Canyon village about two hours southwest of Kamloops.

On June 19, Lytton council did not renew the state of local emergency, meaning residents can return to their properties. In the two years since the fire, no rebuilding has begun. BC RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said the police probe into the fire continues.

“The police investigation remains active and ongoing and we continue to assess for possible criminality and we have no timeline with respect to when it may be completed,” Clark said in a release. “We will continue to take the time needed to ensure that all avenues of investigation have been covered off. We remain mindful of other investigations that focused on determining the cause, origin and looking at compliance or regulatory impacts.”

In October 2021, the Transportation Safety Board released a report that stated there was no evidence the fire was started by activities of Canadian Pacific or Canadian National railways, despite the fact the BC Wildfire Service’s suspected point of origin of the fire was next to train tracks. Some residents have said that believe the fire was caused by sparks from a passing train.

The fire was reported at 4:48 p.m. and quickly spread through the village of 250 people, engulfing almost all buildings and forcing hundreds of residents to flee. Two people died in the inferno.

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The Village of Lytton was reduced to ashes following the June 30, 2021 fire.

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While the Transportation Safety Board’s investigation found no evidence to link the fire in Lytton to railway activity, the RCMP’s probe of the blaze continues. The police investigation has focused on damage to the village and to neighbouring Indigenous communities and has included witness statements, interviews and the collection of both physical and digital forensic evidence that continues to be analyzed.

Anyone who has not yet spoken to police and may have information is asked to call the Southeast District RCMP tip/information line at 250-470-6222.