Lytton, British Columbia decimated by wildfire

After record-breaking heat, the entire town of Lytton, British Columbia has been evacuated after a wildfire raced into the community.

The fire spread so quickly many residents were forced to flee without their belongings. It is unclear if everyone had time to escape.

One resident, Edith Loring Kuhanga said on Facebook, "Our poor little town of Lytton is gone."

Residents who were forced to flee describe fire in every direction and structure fires everywhere.

Strong winds and sweltering heat helped advance the fire.

It comes on the heels of daily recording-breaking heat across British Columbia and Alberta this week. Lytton, British Columbia set Canada's new daily temperatures record for three consecutive days, reaching 49.6°C on Tuesday. The town had a population of 249 as of 2016.

The unrelenting heat has caused several deaths in British Columbia. The coroner’s office reported at least 486 “sudden and unexpected” deaths since the heatwave began.