First building permit issued in Lytton, B.C., following 2021 fire that destroyed village

The Village of Lytton, B.C., has reached a major milestone in its reconstruction following thewildfire that tore through the communityin 2021, leaving behind mostly rubble and ash.

The first building permit wasissued by the village in the fall, according to Mayor Denise O'Connor, and construction is now officially underway to rebuild the community, which, before the fire, had a population of about 250 and served surrounding First Nations communities.

"This is our third Christmas away from our community," O'Connor said.

"It's been really difficult. We saw progress as far as the cleanup but not progress around the rebuilding, so this is really providing a lot of excitement for the people."

Cleanup ofdebris didn't start until June 2022, almost a year after the fire, O'Connor said.

In November 2022, a recovery team was assembled using provincial and federal funding, and building and planning departments were established, something O'Connor says would not usually exist in a small community.

Local chamber of commerce president Bernie Fandrich said he expects at least 20 more permits to be approvedfor both homes and business by spring 2024.

He said grocery store AG Foods, which Fandrich describes as the "core" of the community, has shared its plans for a rebuild with city council and hopes to see construction begin on a new store soon.

"When I saw the the plans of AG Foods there and how beautifulthey are ... I thought it was just absolutely perfect. It just buoyed my spirit in a big way," he said.

"It's been a pretty depressing 2 years here in Lytton."

Other community pillars that are preparing to rebuild include the Lytton Hotel, the Lytton Chinese History Museum and the Royal Canadian Legion, according to Fandrich.