Some daytime commercial flights resume at Kelowna airport

Daytime flights have resumed in Kelowna, however some airspace restrictions remain in place as BC Wildfire Service continues local operations.

Flights were cancelled on Aug. 18 after the McDougall Creek Wildfire flared up in West Kelowna. On Aug. 20, some evening flights were able to resume, but only during the hours when the wildfire service aerial operations were inactive.

This morning, Aug. 24, the Kelowna International Airport announced that some daytime flights are set to resume. However, the wildfire service will continue to use the airport as crews fight the fires on the westside of Okanagan Lake, according to a release from the airport.

“While this will allow more flights to operate, there are still several restrictions to the airspace surrounding YLW that could impact aircrafts’ ability to arrive and depart,” the release says. “Flight schedules will depend on the airline and technology of each individual aircraft.”

READ MORE: Rain helps but there is still active flames in the McDougall Creek Wildfire

The schedule of arrivals can be found here and departures are here. Passengers are encouraged to check with their airline about the status of their flight. Today's earliest arrival appears to be set for 4:15 p.m., and the earliest departure is booked for 5:35 p.m. Many other flights scheduled for today have been cancelled. 

Updates from the airport can be found here.

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