Lytton - Consumed by Fire

A Village That Is No More

Sunday, a national record for the hottest-ever place in Canada. Monday another record, again the hottest place in Canada. Tuesday - three days, three records set for the hottest-ever place in Canada.

How do you top that? Three all-time records in the span of as many days. How does a small, otherwise insignificant mountain village top that? How about burning the place to the ground? 

The mayor of Lytton, B.C., said he has ordered the entire town to be evacuated after a fast-moving wildfire swept in on Wednesday evening.

Mayor Jan Polderman said he told everyone in town to leave as the situation rapidly deteriorated.

"It's dire. The whole town is on fire," Polderman told CBC News. "It took like a whole 15 minutes from the first sign of smoke to all of a sudden there being fire everywhere."

90 per cent of Lytton has been burned to the ground. The fate of the villagers is still unknown. Some, it's feared, may have been unable to escape in time.

But, never fear, our all-knowing, all-seeing prime minister has the emergency well in hand. Why he's even pledged that, long after he's left office, some successor will ban internal combustion vehicles by 2035. Because that could matter by 2035. Because he says so.

Face it. Horrible as a Conservative government would be, the current overlords have precious little to crow about - except for that pipeline thing. That was a moment of sheer brilliance, wasn't it?  For six years and, if returned to office, at least another four they'll feed us a rich diet of greenwash.

The prime minister has the extraordinary powers of the Emergencies Act, if he is prepared to proclaim them. Among these might be removing the millstone round Canada's neck - an industry that has done so little to better Canada or the world.

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