Overnight flights allowed at Kelowna airport, airspace remains mostly off-limits

As crews continue battling the wildfires raging in B.C.'s Okanagan, Transport Canada has allowed some passenger flights to resume at the Kelowna airport – but only overnight.

While the airspace surrounding Kelowna International Airport remains reserved for firefighting helicopters and air tankers during the day, passenger flights resumed Monday on a "case-by-case basis" between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Some airlines have already scheduled additional flights during those hours to bring travellers in and out of the city, according to a message on the YLW website.

"These flights could still be impacted by weather conditions at the airport, such as smoke," the message reads. "Passengers are asked to check with their airline for updated information about flight status before coming to the airport."

Airport officials also noted that food and beverage options at YLW "may be limited" as operations resume for the first time since being suspended due to the wildfires last Friday.

More than a dozen flights have also been cancelled over recent days at the Penticton Airport due to smoke from the region's wildfires, prompting one tour operator to use its fleet to shuttle people out of the Okanagan. 

Over the weekend, the B.C. government imposed travel restrictions for the Okanagan using the extraordinary powers available under the provincial state of emergency declared late last week by Premier David Eby.

The public is barred from driving into the wildfire-affected parts of the region or occupying temporary accommodations in those areas, to make room for firefighters and other front-line responders.