LYTTON, B.C.—The village of Lytton in B.C. is looking to rebuild with resiliency after devastating wildfires wiped it out.
On June 30 a wildfire swept through the village so fast many had no time to save their belongings. Residents were forced to flee in separate directions and are displaced across the southern part of the province.
Village officials believe the fire now presents an opportunity.
“Because of the immense scope of the destruction in Lytton, it’s possible for us to rebuild as a whole net-zero model community with funding from multiple sources,” said officials in a press release. “This will mean even people who didn’t have insurance will be able to get their home back. We don’t want anyone left behind because of this tragedy; we want all our residents to have the opportunity to have a home that is better suited to the demands of the region while lowering the extremely high costs of heating and cooling that people living in Lytton often pay.”
The village intends to rebuild with a geothermal grid, green energy, fire-resistant construction materials, drought tolerant plants, photovoltaic road surfaces to reduce heat absorption and power streetlights and passive house standards.
Officials noted over the years the village has been impacted by wildfires several times, which could cause insurances companies to refuse to insure it. They believe implementing these changes could make buildings more insurable.
“This would allow residents to feel secure that even if another fire struck in the future, going home would be a much simpler matter than it currently is,” said officials.
The village has a fund set up where people can support rebuild efforts: lytton.ca/rebuild-fund
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