Officials searched Friday for missing people in British Columbia towns that were destroyed by wildfires. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered federal help and officials did the same.
Lytton’s roughly 1,000 residents had to leave their homes Wednesday night after being subject to a record-breaking 121.2 Fahrenheit (49.6 Celsius) temperature the day before.
Officials stated that it was not clear if anyone remained in the village located 95 miles (150 km) northeast of Vancouver because there wasn’t enough cell phone service and it wasn’t safe to enter the majority of the area.
“We know that there are some unaccounted for people,” stated Mike Farnworth (province’s public safety minister), though he added that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Red Cross and Red Cross were trying to find them.
Trudeau, in Ottawa, promised that the federal government would “help rebuild and assist people to get through this.”
Trudeau stated that he had spoken to John Horgan, British Columbia Premier, and John Haugen. Trudeau also said that he planned to convene an emergency group.
Another wildfire threat at Kamloops (220 miles/355 kilometers northeast of Vancouver) forced the evacuation of approximately 200 people on Thursday night. Officials said that they would return to their homes Friday.
Kamloops also set a new temperature record this week at 117 Fahrenheit (47.3 Celsius), but it was lowered to 90 (32) by Friday.
Noelle Kekula is a fire information officer at the British Columbia Wildfire Service. She said, “I can’t picture what firefighters are going through working under these conditions.” “We are ready for a real fight.”
According to the Wildfire Service, there were at least 106 fires burning in the province. Many of these fires started in the last two days.
