(CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

Lytton Recovery

Safety minister appoints recovery liaisons between province and Lytton for wildfire recovery

Oct 27, 2021 | 5:33 PM

LYTTON, B.C. — Two parliamentary secretaries with experience in supporting Grand Forks’ community rebuild from the 2018 floods have been tasked as being recovery liaisons between the B.C. government and the Village of Lytton.

In a news release late Wednesday (Oct. 27), Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth announced the appointments of Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness, and Roly Russell, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development, in assisting with Lytton’s recovery from the 2021 wildfires.

“Starting immediately, the parliamentary secretaries will strengthen lines of communication with the mayor and council of the Village of Lytton,” Farnworth states. “They will listen to the feedback that is provided to the village by residents and will bring this information back to government through the cabinet working group on wildfire recovery. Right now, the province needs to support the village in ensuring that residents are heard, and that people are safe and supported over the winter months.”

Farnworth says emergency supports have been approved through the end of November and he can commit to continue supports through to at least the spring for those who have lost a primary residence.

A wildfire on June 30 destroyed most of Lytton, with nearly the entire village engulfed in flames in 45 minutes.

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“We all want to see Lytton rebuilt and rebuilt quickly,” Farnworth says. “But the reality is that housing solutions take time. There will be bumps along the road to recovery. We have committed funding for both the transportation and disposal of debris preventing further delays in the cleanup process. There will be many challenges in this recovery in the weeks and months to come. But I can assure Lyttonites that the province will continue to work directly with the village to get you back on your feet.”