B.C. tour operator offering shuttle service between Penticton and Vancouver to help people stranded by wildfires

A file photo shows bikes being loaded onto vehicles owned by the Penticton tour operator Hoodoo Adventure Company. The company is offering shuttles to and from Vancouver to help those stranded by flight cancellations and delays.

With a non-essential travel ban in place across B.C.’s Okanagan due to wildfires, a Penticton-based tour operator is using its fleet to shuttle people between the city and Vancouver.

As of Monday morning, a dozen flights scheduled to arrive at or depart from the Penticton Airport were cancelled due to smoke from nearby wildfires, including the McDougall Creek wildfire to the north in Kelowna, plus the Upper Park Rill Creek and Crater Creek blazes burning south of the city.

That same morning, a fully-packed van belonging to Hoodoo Adventure Company departed Penticton for Vancouver with 20 passengers in tow.

The company announced on social media Sunday that it would be offering an emergency shuttle for people who have been stranded by flight cancellations.

“A lot of people didn’t know their flights were cancelled until they showed up at the airport,” Lyndie Hill, owner of Hoodoo Adventures, told CTV News Sunday. “They checked out of their hotels, which are fully booked with evacuees, and then they’re stuck without a hotel or flight.”

On Friday, Aug. 18, the B.C. government declared a provincial state of emergency due to the wildfires. The following day, the province issued an emergency order restricting non-essential use of short-term accommodations in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon.

“These restrictions will support access to accommodations for evacuees and personnel providing emergency and critical services,” reads the official government statement.

Hill says she decided to turn her business into an essential service after her personal search for a ride to Vancouver fell short.

“This is a way to put our staff and vehicles to work and to be able to support the community and the travellers who are stranded here, and also help the people in Vancouver who need to get back,” she explained.

The service costs $95 per person, which Hill says will cover staff wages and the cost of gas and mileage.

“This is not a money-making opportunity, it’s a helping hands situation,” said Hill, who worries about her business' financial future.

The tourism industry is still recovering from the financial hit of the pandemic, and Hill says she doesn’t know if her business will be able to survive further blows.

“This will be the straw that broke the camels back for a lot of businesses sadly. It’s going to be a really difficult time for the community and all around B.C.,” she said.

Right now, Hill says the company is looking into offering shuttle services to and from other cities as well, having received requests for trips including Calgary and Princeton.

“We’re just seeing what the need is,” she said. “We’re just sort of waiting to see what happens.”

People can book a shuttle through Hoodoo Adventures through its website, or by calling 1-250-492-3888. The company is also providing updates through its Facebook page. 

With files from CTV Vancouver's Angela Jung.