Ainslie Creek wildfire threatens historic Alexandra Lodge in Fraser Canyon
Published 10:08 am Monday, August 17, 2026
The Ainslie Creek wildfire in the Fraser Canyon is burning in terrain directly above the Alexandra Lodge, threatening the historic structure, parts of which date back to 1864.
BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) reports that the fire is continuing to burn during the day, while burning more intensely and moving more quickly through the night due to downslope winds.
It has now moved into the area above Chapman’s Bar in the Fraser River. Alexandra Lodge sits on the east side of Highway 1 between Chapman’s Bar and the fire.
New owners have been restoring the building for the past four years, and report that specialized asset protection, including structural defence equipment, has been deployed to the site.
This includes CN Rail’s specialized firefighting train Poseidon, which is used to suppress flames along vulnerable rail corridors. The CN mainline runs below Highway 1 and Alexandra Lodge. Poseidon has water cannons which are able to spray water a considerable distance on either side of the train, which carries its own water supply.
BCWS says that structure protection crews are in place and that structures in the area — including Alexandra Lodge — are protected. Structure protection crews are operating in three overlapping shifts to ensure 24-hour coverage and maximum resource availability. They are also assisting wildland firefighting crews in keeping the fire from crossing Highway 1.
Alexandra Lodge — originally known as Chapman’s Bar House — is one of only a handful of roadhouses that survive from the era of the Fraser River gold rush (which began in 1858) and the construction of the Cariboo Wagon Road in 1862. Photographer Frederick Dally captured Chapman’s Bar House, with a wagon team in front, in 1867.
The building has undergone many changes since then. In the 1950s it was moved slightly to the east of its original site, to accommodate construction of the Trans-Canada Highway, which was considerably wider than the original Cariboo Road and subsequent Cariboo Highway (built in 1926).
As of 10 a.m. on Monday (Aug. 17), the Ainslie Creek wildfire was estimated at 65,310 hectares. Highway 1 remains closed through the Fraser Canyon from Toll Road in Yale to just south of Boston Bar because of the wildfire threat and falling debris.
For more information on the Ainslie Creek wildfire, and all other fires currently burning in the province, visit the BC Wildfire Service interactive map. For information about highway closures and road conditions, visit DriveBC.