Low fuel causes First Air to cancel some flights to Nunavut

First Air has cancelledsome flights out of Yellowknife and rescheduledothers Friday, becauseits suppliers wereunable to provide the required fuel.

In a news release, First Air blamed a "significantly reduced availability of fuel" for the cancellation of Flight 955, aYellowknife-Rankin Inlet-Iqaluit flight, and the return Flight 956.

Flights between Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Simpsonwere rescheduled Friday.

N.W.T. Highway 3, the only road in or out of Yellowknife,has been closed intermittently for weeks due to forest fires and smoke that's reducevisibility along the road. First Air saysitsfuel suppliers have beenunableto guarantee required fuel quantities because of those closures.

The airline saysits flight schedule for the next few days also hasto be revised, with priority given"toessential services to allow formedical travel and cargo."

There are two aviation fuel distributors in Yellowknife and trucks carrying fuel for both companies are waiting to get through the closed section of Highway 3.

A representative for Esso says there's a significant amount of fuel already stockpiled in Yellowknife.

While First Air disrupted service,no other airline appears to be affected.