Flights briefly grounded at Cranbrook, B.C. airport after lightning strikes spark wildfires

Flights from Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook, B.C., were grounded for about an hour Tuesday due to wildfire concerns.

The move came after lightning strikes from an afternoon thunderstorm sparked two new fires near the facility.

One of those fires was burning just 1.6 kilometres west of the facility. The City of Cranbrook said fire crews had extinguished it late Tuesday allowing airspace to be reopened.

The BC Wildfire Service’s website listed a second 2.1-hectare fire burning about seven kilometres east of the facility on the Kootenay 1 Reserve.

The ʔaq̓am First Nations community said it was aware of the fire in its territory, and urged people to stay away from the area.

It asked any members who had been evacuated to report to the Health Centre.

Environment Canada placed the East Kootenay region under a severe thunderstorm watch Tuesday, warning of lightning, powerful winds, large hail and torrential rainfall.