‘Gives you nightmares’: Anxious Lytton, B.C., residents closely watching out-of-control wildfire

A nearby blaze that sent ash raining down on Lytton has exploded in size – putting residents of the village that was all-but destroyed by fire in 2021 on edge.

Worried residents of the Village of Lytton, B.C., are keeping a close eye on an out-of-control wildfire burning 10 kilometres south of their community.

“A fire like this does something to a person, gives you nightmares,” said Freda Loring, who is moving into a new home after losing her house in a devastating blaze that all-but-destroyed the village four years ago.

“With the smoke settling in, it does make people really nervous around here and anxious,’ she said.

• Related: Full coverage of B.C.’s 2025 wildfire season

Thick smoke hung over the village Wednesday as helicopters flew above.

The Cantilever Bar wildfire has triggered evacuation alerts for five properties in the Thompson Nicola regional district and homes on nearby First Nations lands

“We have four helicopters responding and they’re being used for reconnaissance, water delivery and gear transport,” said Taylor Colman with the BC Wildfire Service.

On Wednesday, residents learned of another fire sparked nearby, but the BC Wildfire said it is only a spot fire and is under control.

Officials said growth on the Cantilever Bar wildfire had mostly been upslope and away from homes, though soaring temperatures remain a big concern.

“The fuels being dry, they’re going to be more susceptible to ignition, so it’s going to be easier to spread,” Colman said.

Nonie McCann’s home is on evacuation alert, but the Lytton resident said she remains cautiously optimistic.

“(The fire) is 10 kilometres from my house and there’s a number of burn scars between the fire and our property, and the fire tends to go up the mountain and we’re down the mountain,’ she said.

“We have a fire pump and we have hoses and we have access to water, so that’s all laid out and ready to go if needed – and we have our stuff ready if we have to leave,” McCann explained.

She said ash from the wildfire had fallen on Lytton, but said she has found it comforting that people stayed up through the night to ensure there weren’t flareups when the blaze began.

Mayor Denise O’Connor is watching the situation, but said the community has worked to rebuild as fire resilient as possible.

‘We’re looking at setting up sprinklers in a couple areas where we might be a little more concerned,” she said.

O’Connor also told CTV News wildfire smoke in the area during summer is not uncommon and doesn’t make her anxious, despite losing her home to a wildfire four years ago.

But she knows the nearby wildfire creates concern for other residents.

“I think we’re going to be OK. I feel good about that,” she said.

Still, some residents said with all the smoke, they can’t help but worry.

“It’s too close and it’s concerning,” said Loring.