Historic Alexandra Lodge appears spared as Ainslie Creek wildfire pushes south past Chapmans
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
August 17 2026 - The out-of-control Ainslie Creek wildfire, which has burned more than 65,000 hectares in the Fraser Canyon since early July, advanced southward in mid-August into the steep terrain above Chapmans, placing the historic Alexandra Lodge under direct threat.
By mid-August the fire had moved down the canyon toward the Alexandra Bridge and Tunnel area, reaching the slopes directly above the large Chapmans sand bar on the Fraser River where the lodge sits on the east side of Highway 1.
Owners Shirley and Ken MacKinnon, who have spent years restoring the 19th-century roadhouse, posted repeated updates on the lodge’s Facebook page expressing growing concern as the flames drew closer.
“The fire is inching closer. It is less than 2km away and on its way,” they wrote on the hotels Facebook page, while noting that specialized structure-protection equipment and CN Rail’s Poseidon firefighting train had been deployed to defend the site.
In a later update, the couple shared more hopeful news: “We just heard from a reliable source that the active fire front is past the Lodge. The old girl is safe. Things can change but we do hope the worst of it is over for us, at least. We are looking forward to our continued restoration.”
BC Wildfire Service has confirmed structure-protection crews were operating around the clock in the South Canyon to protect values and prevent the fire from crossing Highway 1.
The highway remains closed through much of the Fraser Canyon due to wildfire activity and falling debris.
Officials continue to caution that fire behaviour can shift rapidly with changing winds and weather.
Historic Alexandra Lodge appears spared as Ainslie Creek wildfire pushes south past Chapmans
Comments