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Lytton burns

Extreme heat and a raging fire. A small community watches their town go up in flames.

The worst effects of climate change are often framed as a problem for the future. But for some, the worst has already happened. As world leaders prepare to gather in Glasgow to talk about how to bring down emissions, Assignment tells the story of three places which have been at the sharp end of extreme weather events. In June, the Canadian village of Lytton smashed national heat records three days running, reaching an astonishing 49.6 degrees Celsius. Then, it burned to the ground. This documentary, the first in the series, is a vivid portrayal of a place in the crosshairs of climate change, where people don鈥檛 just have to imagine the future. They鈥檙e now figuring out how to build it.

Presenter: Neal Razzell
Producer: Mark Savage
Editor: Bridget Harney

Image: The charred remnants of buildings in Lytton, British Columbia, Canada, 9 July 2021 (Credit: Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters)

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Thu 28 Oct 2021 19:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 28 Oct 2021 01:32GMT
  • Thu 28 Oct 2021 08:06GMT
  • Thu 28 Oct 2021 12:32GMT
  • Thu 28 Oct 2021 19:06GMT

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