After being shut down for more than a month due to wildfires burning in the area, Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon near Boston Bar has partially reopened. The highway is open to single-lane, alternating traffic for a two-kilometre stretch from south of Alexandra Bridge to north of Alexandra Tunnel, according to B.C.’s Transportation Ministry. Traffic is restricted to leave room for BC Hydro workers restoring power in the region. Officials say a pilot vehicle will escort cars on the route and as such drivers should expect delays of up to 30 minutes. The highway also may have to fully close at times for BC Hydro work such as blasting and tree falling. “No stopping will be permitted within the active work and wildfire-affected areas of the corridor. Recovery and repair operations remain underway and stopping could pose a safety risk to travellers and crews,” reads a news release from the ministry. “Drivers are reminded to obey all traffic-control personnel and signage in the area and exercise patience while crews manage traffic through the corridor.” Highway 1 had been closed since July 7 due to the Brunswick Creek fire complex that razed hundreds of square kilometres and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes. The Ainslie Creek fire remains out of control, however many evacuation orders in the area have been downgraded to alerts or lifted completely, including for the Boston Bar town site.
