Fort McMurray International Airport to resume flights June 10

Commercial air service is tentatively scheduled to resume at the Fort McMurray International Airport on June 10, more than a month after the airport was closed due to the wildfire.

However, flights are contingent on several factors including the airspace requirements of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry as crews continue to battle the wildfire,the FortMcMurrayAirport Authority said in a news release on Tuesday.

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If the date for the voluntary re-entry of evacuees is changed,that will alsodelay the return of commercial air service.

Passengers booked on flights priortoJune10are advised to contact their airlines forrebookinginformation.

"The FMAAis indebted to the brave men and women who worked tirelessly around the clock to protect the airport infrastructure which has allowed us to support the efforts of emergency first responders since the fire began," Scott Clements, Fort McMurray Airport Authority President and CEO said in the release.

Re-entry and resuming ofairport operations depends on safety

The wildfire that has destroyed more than 2,000 structures since it swept through FortMcMurrayon May 3, continues to burn out of control and has now consumed 522,892 hectares.

Last week, the Alberta government announced aconditional re-entry timeline for Fort McMurray evacuees starting June 1.

A list of the services that will be available at the airport when it reopens, including food and transportation, will be made available closer to the reopening date.

"Safety is our first priority and while every effort will be made to adhere to this opening date, residents are reminded that this will only occur if conditions for re-entry are safe," Clements said.