1000 evacuated as fire engulfs town in west Canada after record-breaking temperatures

Brad Vis, a Member of Parliament (MP) said in a Facebook post that the town of Lytton has sustained structural damage and 90% of the village is burned, including the centre of the town.


As Canada is witnessing record-breaking temperatures, government officials on Thursday issued a new evacuation order after a forest fire engulfed almost the whole town of Lytton which is situated 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of Vancouver, in west Canada. More than 1,000 people were evacuated from central British Columbia (B.C.) late on Wednesday. Brad Vis, a Member of Parliament (MP) said in a Facebook post that the town has sustained structural damage and 90% of the village is burned, including the centre of the town. He added that it has become more difficult to reach the small town of Lytton as the fire has destroyed highways and even B.C hydro stations. B.C Premier John Horgan told reporters that 62 new fires were reported in B.C in the last 24 hours. On Tuesday, Lytton recorded 49.6 degrees Celsius, breaking the past highest record of Canada of 45 degrees Celsius set in Saskatchewan in 1937. The strong winds gusting upto 71 kph were recorded on Wednesday which made the situation worse and stoked fires. At least 486 deaths have been recorded so far within five days till Wednesday.


 

 

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