L.A. Wildfires: Is it safe to travel to Southern California?

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Five wildfires have scorched parts of Los Angeles, fuelled by a powerful wind storm and ongoing drought. The firestorm has led to at least 10 deaths and forced tens of thousands of people out of their homes.

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The hardest hit is the one in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood at 47 square kilometres — about the size of 19 Stanley Parks — followed by the Eaton fire, which is estimated to be 42 square kilometres. Officials say more than 10,000 structures have been destroyed.

L.A. is a popular winter destination for many B.C. tourists escaping the cold weather to visit attractions such as Disneyland, Hollywood or Venice Beach.

As of Friday morning, four of the fires had been partially contained but the Eaton Fire in Altadena had not, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Late Wednesday it was reported that a fire had broken out in the Hollywood Hills, prompting evacuations.

The latest mandatory evacuation order encompasses a densely populated area and includes major landmarks such as the Hollywood Bowl, Dolby Theatre, and TCL Chinese Theatre, extending to a section of Hollywood Boulevard. Parts of Beverly Hills were under an evacuation warning.

So, is it safe for travellers to still visit other parts of L.A.? Here are a few questions and answers.

Check back for regular updates throughout the day as the travel situation could change.

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Is it safe to travel to L.A.?

The latest advice on the Palisades wildfire and the windstorm in California from the Canadian government is to take normal security precautions if travelling to L.A. 

At this time, there are no non-essential travel alerts from Canada and California has not issued any pleas for travelers to not visit the state.

However, on Thursday, the weather service posted a “red flag warning” for critical fire weather through to 6 p.m. Friday.

Critical fire weather will last through Friday for portions of L.A. and Ventura counties, including major wildfire locations such as the Palisades Fire, the Eaton Fire and the Hurst Fire, the warning states.

“Gusty winds and very dry conditions will continue to fuel fire starts and existing fires.”

Officials are urging people to use extreme caution with any ignition source, to stay alert to the forecast and follow instructions from local officials.

Are flights from Vancouver International Airport to L.A. being cancelled?

As of Friday morning, there were no cancellations for flights leaving YVR for LAX.

Paul Michna, a spokesperson for YVR, said while there is no impact to flights scheduled from YVR to the L.A. area, that could change and passengers are reminded to check with their airline to confirm their flight status and schedules.

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Check the latest YVR departure updates online here.

Both WestJet and Air Canada have introduced fee waivers for those with flights booked for California between Jan. 8 and 11 but who wish to change or cancel their flights. Scroll down to see the policy details for each airline.

Is the Los Angeles International Airport open?

As of Friday morning, LAX “is open and operating normally” although passengers are being asked to check their flights.

LAX is located about 32 kilometres southeast of Pacific Palisades where the wildfires are spreading. 

There are reports the fires can be seen from the airport. The strong Santa Ana winds could affect air turbulence arriving at the airport.

Should I cancel my trip to Los Angeles?

That depends on a lot of factors such as where in L.A. you were planning to visit, what plans you have for while you are there, and when your trip is taking place.

As of Thursday, LAX continued to operate and flights were still landing so if your trip takes place this week and you want to continue with your flight plans, it is possible to still do so. Just be sure to check your flight status before leaving for the airport.

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If you had planned to visit major landmarks such as the Hollywood sign, the Walk of Fame, or the Hollywood Bowl, those areas are currently under a mandatory evacuation order and you should make alternate plans for other activities and events.

Universal Studios Hollywood: If you were planning to take your family to Universal Studios Hollywood this week for a theme park visit, you’ll be able to starting Friday.

The park had been closed on Wednesday and Thursday this week. The Sunset fire is situated about 6 kilometres to the south of the theme park and working film studio, though many productions have been halted this week.

Disneyland: As of Thursday, there were no closures for Disneyland and the theme park resort continues to operate. However, there may be some indirect impacts such as cancellations to any nighttime fireworks shows on the calendar or closures of some rides due to high winds.

The Disneyland resort is about 65 kilometres to the southeast of the Sunset fire and is not currently at risk.

Are airlines offering flexible cancellation or rebooking policies for flights to California right now?

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While there isn’t an official travel advisory warning against or halting travel to California right now, many airlines have introduced flexible cancellation or rebooking policies for flights going into and out of California-area airports.

WestJet: For flights to LAX or SNA scheduled during the period from Jan. 8 to 11, there is a one-time fee waiver for changing or cancelling your flight, regardless of fare class. Passengers must pay the difference if changing to a different cabin, and travel must be completed within 60 days of your original departure date. Cancelled flights will be refunded or credited based on the fare class booked; basic fares will receive travel credit. Changes and cancellations must be made more than two hours before your scheduled departure.

Air Canada: For flights to LAX, SNA, BUR or ONT scheduled during the period from Jan. 8 to 11, you can delay your flight up to Jan. 17 with no change fee. You can also change your origin or destination of your itinerary to another airport in California, including LAX, Palm Springs, San Diego or Santa Ana with no change fee.

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Other airlines offering flexible change or cancellation policies include United, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.

What should B.C. residents do if they are already in L. A.?

Check for evacuations and alerts on the Los Angeles Fire Department’s website. The County of Los Angeles website also has regular updates.

If you are flying back to B.C. check the LAX and YVR websites for the latest information on delays and cancellations.

Are popular theme parks like Universal Studios and Disneyland open?

Universal Studios announced Friday it would reopen after a two-day closure because of the intense wildfires.

So far Disneyland still appears to be open but that could change. Disneyland is about 80 kilometres south of Pacific Palisades.

The thrill ride park Six Flags Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita was closed Wednesday “due to inclement weather” while Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park appeared to be open.

READ MORE: Videos show iconic Malibu beach homes burning in L.A. wildfire inferno

How serious are these wildfires?

The blaze has burned through thousands of acres in Pacific Palisades, and tens of thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate as the fires moved toward highly populated and affluent neighbourhoods home to California’s rich and famous. Hollywood stars, including Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore and James Woods, were among those forced to flee.

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Hamill posted on Bluesky that there were fires on both sides of the road as he and his family fled their Malibu home.

Officials have said more than 10,000 structures have already been lost. At least 10 people have died.

Canadians including Our Lady Peace singer Raine Maida and his family were among the more than 70,000 people forced to flee their homes. “We’ve evacuated currently and our canyon is on fire,” Maida told The Canadian Press.

Actor Eugene Levy, another prominent Canadian in L.A., told the Los Angeles Times that he faced gridlocked traffic as he attempted to vacate the area amid “black and intense” smoke.

READ MORE: Celebrities among thousands evacuated in Los Angeles fires

The flames from a fire that broke out Tuesday evening near a nature preserve in the inland foothills northeast of L.A. spread so rapidly that staff at a senior living centre had to push dozens of residents in wheelchairs and hospital beds down the street to a parking lot.

There are reports of traffic jams preventing emergency vehicles from getting through and heavy smoke.

The situation prompted the Los Angeles Fire Department to take the rare step of issuing a plea for off-duty firefighters to assist. It was too windy for firefighting aircraft to fly, further hampering the fight. A high wind warning was in effect for the region through 6 p.m., according to an AP report.

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Experts say this a firestorm. What does that mean?

Glenn McGillivray, managing director at Ontario-based Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, said the L.A. fire will likely continue to spread given the high winds that are forecast to continue into Thursday.

“The house rattles with 90 km/h winds so I can’t even imagine 100 mp/h winds. It’s driving embers. It’s like a big welding torch igniting everything in its path,” he said.

He said climate change-fuelled drought has made this fire very difficult to contain and dangerous to fight, with fire hydrants running dry and fire officials calling for volunteer firefighters.

He said the fires will likely get much worse before they can be contained.

“Embers are blown far ahead of the fire front, and they ignite things in their path. And these embers — I compare them to billions of lit cigarettes — they ignite A, which usually ignites B, which ignites the structure,” he said.

“Once you get a few structures on fire, they ignite other structures, and then you get an urban conflagration or a firestorm. And all this requires the wind. You can have hot conditions and dry conditions, but without that wind, you don’t usually get this happening.”

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McGillivray said leaders in Canada need to start making plans for wildfire threats to major cities, such as Edmonton and Vancouver.

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Is Canada assisting?

Quebec-based pilots are fighting high winds and heavy turbulence as they battle the massive wildfires tearing through the Los Angeles area, while on the ground Canadians with homes in the area are being forced to flee ahead of fast-moving flames.

Pascal Duclos, head pilot for the Quebec government’s aerial service, said he spent several hours in the air on Tuesday, dumping dozens of loads of water over fire-devastated areas from his plane.

“What I saw was houses that were in flames, cars that were in flames, people watering their roofs, who were trying to save the building, a lot of people on the ground, firefighters trying to get down a path to get to the source of the fire,” he said Wednesday in a video interview.

Duclos, who has been travelling to L.A. for 14 years as part of a government contract, says extreme dryness and winds in the region have created fast-moving flames and “extreme” turbulence that have pushed their planes to the limit. When refilling, the sheer number of aircraft, as well as people on the ground — some of them civilians fleeing the flames — combine to create an “intense” situation, he said.

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The planes in the air include a pair of Canadian-made water bombers belonging to the Quebec government, as well as helicopters belonging to B.C.-based Coulson Aviation, which the company says are “on the front line” of the fight. Coulson said in a social media post that its crews are “braving high winds and challenging conditions” in the fight against the largest fire.

Vancouver South MP Harjit Sajjan said he has been in contact with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency about the wildfires and has asked officials to coordinate with Canada’s allies.

“Resources and equipment will be mobilized as needed. We remain in communication with FEMA and ready to support our neighbours if needed, Sajjan said in a statement.

The B.C. Wildfire Service said its help had not been requested in California, but it “may provide support in the days ahead.”

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With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press

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