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Alexandra Lodge, a gold rush-era landmark, survives B.C. wildfire
Fire crews are mopping up around the 130-year-old landmark after the Ainslie Creek wildfire passed by, and the lodge remains standing.
On Tuesday, the Wildfire Service confirmed the "leading edge of the fire" passed Alexandra Lodge, a historic gold rush-era landmark in the Fraser Canyon threatened by the Ainslie Creek wildfire.
Shirley MacKinnon and Ken MacKinnon purchased the 130-year-old building in 2021, spending more than 4 1/2 years restoring it and vowing to return the site to its "former glory."
Before evacuating on Aug 1, MacKinnon stored belongings for friends displaced from Boston Bar, enduring "at least the last six weeks" of fire-related stress.
Fire crews are currently mopping up around the property and performing danger tree assessments, with MacKinnon reporting they are "in the clear" despite potential wind-related risks.
The couple plans to offer vacation rentals at the site, which notably hosted Prajadhipok in the 1930s and features 1.4 kilometres of private beach.