Travel & Lifestyle

Raging wildfires force flight cancellations, closure of Los Angeles attractions

Wildfires have devastated roadways in the greater Los Angeles area and impacted travelers in and out of the area. Some flights to and from Southern California were affected by unsettled weather, although the vast majority of those cancellations and delays involved Hollywood Burbank Airport. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has not reported many, if any, wildfire disruptions to travel operations.

A traveler flying into the city from Denver posted a video on X showing an overhead view of the Palisades fire burning. His flight was originally scheduled to land at Burbank Airport (BUR), but was diverted to Los Angeles International Airport due to turbulence caused by strong winds that fueled the fire.

As of 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, 19% of flights departing from Burbank Airport (BUR) were canceled and 13% were delayed, according to data obtained by the FlightAware website. Los Angeles’ Ontario International Airport (ONT), about 40 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, reported about 10% of flight cancellations.

Several airlines have issued travel alerts for specific areas to provide some flexibility for people whose travel plans have been affected by the fires. Airlines including Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United are allowing passengers who booked flights to and from Los Angeles-area airports between January 8 and 10 to rebook until January 15.

American Airlines issued a similar travel exemption policy as it did after the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans.

AA network

As for many attractions in Los Angeles, one of the most popular destinations in the United States, more and more attractions have been closed as the fire continues to spread. The Getty Villa, part of the iconic J. Paul Getty Museum, has so far spared more than a thousand homes and buildings from damage. The location will be closed until at least next week, while the Getty Museum in Los Angeles will be closed until January 12.

The world-famous Griffith Observatory near the iconic Hollywood sign is also closed. Some residents near Griffith Park remain concerned the flames could spread to the area and force them to evacuate. Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures are both shutting down their popular studio tours today, citing “high winds and fires.”

Universal Studios Hollywood in the San Fernando Valley and the surrounding shopping and entertainment center Universal Studios Walk are also temporarily closed.

Disneyland is located in Orange County, about 45 minutes away from Pacific Palisades, where the wildfires have been hardest hit. It is still open, and Knott’s Berry Farm is also open as usual. This may change depending on fire conditions, so if you plan to visit either attraction be sure to check before setting off.

We will update this story as we get more information.

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