A CANADIAN town has been ravaged by a fast-moving wildfire that engulfed homes and buildings "within minutes", forcing 1,000 people to evacuate.
The devastating blaze has destroyed "most homes and structures" in the village of Lytton, British Columbia and several residents are currently missing, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth told reporters.
Spanning over 30 square miles, the fire is one of several burning in the region and comes after the area endured Canada's hottest ever temperatures for three consecutive days.
Lytton reached a sweltering 115 degrees on Sunday, 118.2 degrees on Monday, and 121.2 degrees on Tuesday.
Mayor Jan Polderman issued the evacuation order late Wednesday as the fire moved in, advising residents "to leave the community and go to a safe location," according to a news release.
"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."
"At the First Nation band office, the fire was a wall about three, four feet high coming up to the fence line. I drove through town, and it was just smoke, flames, the wires were down," Polderman added.
Video captured by residents scrambling out of town showed numerous structures ablaze in every direction, with a thick smog eclipsing the sky.
Local politician Brad Vis wrote in a post to Facebook on Thursday morning that 90 percent of the town is burned, including the town center.
"Neighbouring Telus and BC Hydro stations have suffered extensive damage. In addition, rail and highway infrastructure are affected," Vis added.
"There are reports of several injuries. The situation is ongoing."
Lytton, which is about 195 miles east of Vancouver, has a population of about 250 residents.
The community is grappling with a tremendous amount of “devastation and loss,” John Haugen, a deputy chief with Lytton First Nation, told the National Post.
“It’s incomprehensible, people are so anxious and worried about what comes next for them,” he said.
The nation is currently trying to account for all its members, Haugen said.
He knows of some people who have suffered smoke inhalation and burns from the fire. So far, no deaths have been reported.
One resident, Rosanna Stamberg, told the outlet she's concerned as her children are among those currently unaccounted for.
“I don’t know which direction they went. I don’t know if they went down towards Chilliwack. I don’t know if they went to Lillooet. I don’t know if they went to Spencer’s Bridge or Merritt or Kamloops. I have no idea,” she said.
"Or if they stayed home. I'm very worried."
Two fires have also closed highways to the north and south of Lytton, DriveBC reports.
The fires come after a historic heatwave in the region that saw temperatures sore to levels of 121F on Tuesday – an all-time record in Canada.
There are currently 117 active fires in British Columbia, according to the BC Wildfire Dashboard, with 48 fires burning in the last two days.
Officials said a staggering 29,000 lightning strikes were recorded between Wednesday and Thursday, sparking multiple fires.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reportedly promised local officials that the federal government will send any resources they need to extinguish the fires.
Farnworth called the fire "catastrophic for the community" of Lytton.
He also added that he may issue a state of emergency, pending how the fire season develops herein.
To date, British Colimbua has recored 526 fires so far this year.
The record temperatures have also had a devastating impact on the province, with more than 230 deaths attributed to the heat since Friday, officials said Tuesday.
In a statement to CNN, Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe called it an "unprecedented time."
"Since the onset of the heat wave late last week, the BC Coroners Service has experienced a significant increase in deaths reported where it is suspected that extreme heat has been contributory."
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