By Joanne Rodgers,
Bruce Peninsula Press
The popular Bear Tracks Inn & Restaurant in Ferndale suffered a devastating fire at their five unit motel on 30 July 2025.
An early estimate from the Northern Bruce Peninsula Fire Chief places the fire damage at $2.2 million. Owners Jeff and Roberta Mielhausen have been in conversations with their insurance provider and the structural engineer visited the property on 7 August. The Mielhausens are now awaiting the insurance report but say they will “rebuild one way or another”. They have an ambitious plan to reopen the Motel by Spring 2026.
Staff and community stepped up to help
Restaurant staff were alerted to the fire by a customer and immediately rushed out to assist in the evacuation of motel guests and their personal belongings. The Mielhausens expressed their thanks to staff for assisting the guests. Even as the fire was ongoing, the Miehausens were contacting the guests due to arrive on the following days. They expressed their thanks to Nathan Monk who was instrumental in getting the current motel guests rehoused for the night. The Tobermory and Northern Bruce Chamber of Commerce also reached out immediately to offer assistance in relocating guests. It was the Civic Holiday weekend and the Motel was completely booked. All five units were fully booked into October.
Three fire stations respond
A bathroom fan in Unit 1 of the motel was determined to be the culprit and the fire spread to the roofline of the structure. The whole building was structurally impacted by the fire.
Chief Burt was leaving the Fire Hall in Lion’s Head when the call came in. He was concerned about the “significant potential for injury”, however everyone was safely evacuated with no injuries reported. Chief Burt credited working smoke alarms for alerting the guests and saving lives.
Around 7:30 p.m. Lion’s Head, Tobermory and Wiarton fire crews responded to the call. Twenty-eight fire personnel were on scene until the wee hours of the following morning. Chief Burt stated that the teams from North and South Bruce worked well together and their quick and aggressive response to the fire saved the building. The fire service personnel were able to get water on the fire within five minutes of the call. However the motel still suffered extensive damage due to fire, smoke and water.
Working smoke alarms saved lives
Chief Burt complimented Jeff and Roberta for “running an operation in tiptop shape”. He said that “every smoke alarm worked”, and attributed the working alarms for saving lives. He explained that the unfortunate incident with the fan could happen to anyone.
The Fire Chief reemphasized the need to have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. He also advises that it is important to check all exhaust duct works including dryer vents to ensure they are clear of debris.
Community Support
The Mielhausens thanked the Fire crews and everyone that reached out to help them. Jeff and Roberta invite everyone to continue to come out to their restaurants in Ferndale and Pike Bay, as a way to show support for their business.
The Miehausens are well-known for their generosity in supporting community events. Even with all the challenges due to the motel fire, they fulfilled their commitment to operate the Food Booth at the Lion’s Head Street Dance, a mere four days later.
