Debris removal from the burned village of Lytton will start Tuesday, March 8.
The province announced Monday the removal of ash, soot, metals, bricks and other building materials will start with municipal buildings and expand to residential properties beyond that.
Following this debris removal, the province said it will then coordinate and fund archaeological work to identify and preserve any findings and further reconciliation and collaborative resource management between the Nlaka͛pamux Nation and the government.
Lytton was built on land with significant cultural significance and the Village of Lytton is located within the Nlaka͛pamux Territory, which includes eight Indigenous communities.
The province͛’s Archaeology Branch is working with the Village of Lytton and the Kumsheen Heritage Committee to streamline progress with Heritage Conservation Act requirements.
Following the archaeological work, there will need to be soil remediation to remove any contaminants from the ground and restore the landscape into a safe site where residents can rebuild, the province said in a release.
It is hoped that rebuilding can start this fall.
To aid this work, the B.C. government is committing another $18.4 million in funding, which will cover this work and provide temporary accommodations for staff, consultants and construction workers close to the village site.
“By supporting debris removal, we are literally clearing the way for the rebuilding of Lytton to begin in a tangible way,” Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, said in a release.
“We are doing everything possible to speed up the progress and support the community through the very challenging and ongoing task of rebuilding Lytton.”
The funds provided by the province, in addition to the $8.3 million already announced, will help residents without insurance or who did not have sufficient insurance, the province said. For those residents who had adequate property insurance, debris removal costs are funded by their insurance company, which will hire a contractor.
Aside from removing debris, work will also have to be done to remove and repair foundations that were damaged by the wildfire.
Ash samples have already been tested and found to contain asbestos.
The Canadian Red Cross is still providing immediate housing support to Lytton residents who lost their primary home in the wildfire last summer.
The organization is supporting about 170 households from the Lytton area through case management, the province said.