BC RCMP say a criminal investigation into the 2021 wildfire which destroyed much of the Village of Lytton was not able to determine what caused the fire.

In a statement Wednesday, RCMP say there is no evidence to suggest the fire was intentionally set by the actions or inactions of a person or people. It says establishing the cause of the fire was required to prove an offence was committed.

“Throughout this investigation the RCMP focused on the how and why,” BC RCMP Chief Supt. Brad Haugli, the commander of the Southeast District said in the statement.

“While we have no single source or cause that can account for the devastating fire, it was not due to a lack of effort. Significant work was done to not only look at establishing and confirming what did happen, but to eliminate what didn’t happen.”

Police say they reviewed the weather conditions around the time of the blaze on June 30, 2021, and spoke to 168 witnesses.

They also collected 55 pieces of physical evidence, reviewed over 400 videos and photographs as part of their investigation, and reviewed parallel investigations by the BC Coroners Service, the BC Wildfire Service, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

“More specifically with respect to the origin, investigators focused on a parking lot and park area at the end of River Drive,” the RCMP statement said.

“The investigation looked at all movements and actions of any individuals, vehicle traffic, and a southbound freight train that were all in the area around 4:30 p.m. when the wildfire first began.”

RCMP Corporal James Grandy says he understands the frustration that people in the Lytton-area may feel but notes there is no evidence to suggest the fire was set intentionally.

“At this point, we’ve exhausted all investigative avenues at this point and we’re just unable to provide that certainty at this point, certainly in order to prove any criminality in this case,” Grandy said.

Police say the findings of the investigation have been shared with the Village of Lytton, the Lytton First Nation and the family of the two people who were killed.

“We would like to thank them for their patience, support and understanding throughout the investigation,” the RCMP statement said.

RCMP say they’re not ruling out resuming the investigation if they get “credible information” in the future. They also say they’re not going to disclose “specific details of the evidence” as is often done in complex and lengthy investigations.

“We remain committed to the community and the important need to support all those impacted, while we also join in the collective efforts to rebuild,” Haugli added.

RCMP say the investigation included:

• A review of the weather conditions around the time which showed temperatures exceeding 48 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of between 22-25 km/h, with earlier gusts of over 38 km/h.
• An exhaustive search of two areas of interest related to the possible origin of the fire. One was a 1 km radius area near Lytton and the other was a 2 km radius area near Boston Bar.
• A collection of 55 physical exhibits and digital forensic evidence – which included over 400 videos and photographs collectively – with the assistance of the BC Wildfire Service and the RCMP Forensic Search and Evidence Recovery Team.
• 168 witness interviews.
• Review of the investigative findings by parallel investigations conducted by the BC Coroners Service, BC Wildfire Service, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), and a review of findings from Transport Canada’s inspections.
• Identification and procurement of a professional and credible Subject Matter Expert that would not be in a conflict of interest.