UPDATE: 'Significant progress' made in Lytton wildfire investigation, police say

(UPDATE: July 12 @ 1:08 pm): Police and fire investigators have zeroed-in on a parking lot as the probe to find out what caused the disastrous Lytton wildfire continues.

Two people died and much of the village was destroyed in the blaze, which began on June 30.

The RCMP confirmed today that it had followed up on more than 15 possible missing person reports over the last 11 days and determined that all have been happily resolved.

But police said they’re “aware of the possibility” that there could be someone still unaccounted for in the aftermath of the catastrophe.

“Investigators are focussing on a parking lot and park area at the end of River Drive towards the south end of the Village of Lytton,” the RCMP explained in a statement this afternoon.

“This area provides access to a foot and rail bridge that crosses the Fraser River. The investigation is looking at all movements and actions of any individuals, vehicle traffic and a southbound freight train that were all in the area around 4:30 pm.”

Police said the investigation – involving multiple agencies – is aimed at “assessing if there is possible criminality” as well as determining the fire’s origins.

Investigators are also looking at “compliance or regulatory impacts,” the RCMP said.

Police said both the RCMP and BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) had so far “completed a fulsome search” of two areas of interest – one a 1-kilometre radius near Lytton and the other a 2km radius near Boston Bar.

“Physical and digital forensic evidence has been collected with the assistance of the BCWS and the RCMP Forensic Search and Evidence Recovery Team. Several witnesses have also been interviewed,” the RCMP explained.

Separately, investigators from the BC Coroners Service and Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) are at the site to gather information.

“We have heard the concerns of those impacted and understand the importance of having answers around how and why the fire started,” RCMP Assistant Commissioner Eric Stubbs said.

“While significant progress has been made in the past 12 days by the dedicated investigators and agencies assigned to this case, the exact cause has not yet been determined.”

He added: “There are still a number of ongoing tasks and forensic analysis that needs to be completed. This incident remains a priority investigation for all involved.”

Any witnesses who still haven’t spoken to police are urged to call the BC RCMP Tip line at 1-877-987-8477.

(Original story: July 12 @ 6:20 am): RCMP have set up three security checkpoints around Lytton and they say there will be an update soon on the investigation into the cause of the fast-moving wildfire that destroyed most of the village.

Supt. Ray Carfantan said that in addition to the checkpoints, roving patrols are ensuring crews can gain access to restore services in Lytton, including hydro and phone lines, while people who are not required to be there are kept out.

Carfantan told a news conference Sunday that 911 service is now available and the former non-emergency number for the RCMP has been rerouted to Lillooet, about 60 km northwest of the community.

He said police have followed up on more than 15 missing-person reports since the fire on June 30 killed two people, but everyone from in and around the town in the Fraser Canyon was located and is safe.

“We are aware of the possibility that there could be someone still left unaccounted for, and therefore if you have not been able to find a loved one please call or attend your local or nearest RCMP detachment to report that person as missing.”

Carfantan said police and multiple agencies including the BC Wildfire Service, Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board are gathering information and evidence to try and determine the cause of the fire.

“We are committed to providing a more full update about the investigation in the next day or two,” he said.

Hot and dry conditions are persisting in parts of southern British Columbia while cooler temperatures are helping crews suppress wildfires in the north.

Fire information officer Taylor Colman of the BC Wildfire Service said 67 fires were classified as out of control on Sunday, but crews had not yet been able to evaluate the newest ones.

Colman said 306 fires were burning across BC, most of them in the Kamloops and Cariboo fire centres.

The Sparks Lake fire, in the Kamloops fire centre, was the largest in the province at 402 square kilometres, but people were not at risk in the rural area.

On Sunday, 132 addresses in the Whitecroft community near Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality were evacuated due to the Embleton Mountain fire which covered about 1.5 square kilometres. The resort community of Sun Peaks was also placed under an evacuation alert and visitors were asked to stay away.

Brandi Schier, a spokeswoman for the municipality’s emergency operations centre, said firefighters from the resort town were helping crews from the BC Wildfire Service battle the blaze.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District, meanwhile, issued an evacuation alert for residents of nearby Heffley Lake, and Schier said that covered 156 addresses.

Schier said only residents were being permitted to enter the popular tourist destination.

“We’re just asking that people put a pause on those plans right while the situation is taken care of,” she said.

BC Wildfire Service information officer Noelle Kekula said crews battling a wildfire near the Okanagan community of Vernon had to deal with drones in the area on Saturday, forcing them to shut down operations for two hours.

“I know everyone’s curious and everyone has drones, but it’s illegal to operate a drone in and around a wildfire,” she said.

“Please keep your drones off our wildfires because it has significant impact to firefighting efforts.”

Colman said so far this season, lightning has sparked 42% of fires while 40% of them have been caused by humans. The rest are still being investigated.

The federal and provincial governments said Sunday they will match every dollar donated to the Canadian Red Cross for people affected by the wildfires, which they said means a $1 donation will become a $3 donation. The matching donations will be retroactive to include those received since July 3, when the Red Cross BC Wildfire Appeal fund began.