Palisades fires: Is it safe to travel to California and is LAX closed?
Roads are closed but flight disruption has so far kept to a minimum as fires spread in southern Californian
MikeTyes
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A wind-driven wildfire has spread across California, leading authorities to order the evacuation of at least 30,000 people as the rapidly growing blaze burns across 3,000 acres.
No fatalities have been confirmed in Pacific Palisades, known for being the home of several A-listers, however, many houses have been devastated in the wake of the fire and left damaged.
A 25-year-old female firefighter and “multiple burn victims” are among the injured, according to Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokesperson Erik Scott said.
The LAFD said that as of Wednesday morning, zero per cent of the fire had been contained.
Other wildfires have also been declared, including the Eaton Fire, which has spread over 1,000 acres through Altadena, Pasadena, Arcadia, and Sierra Madre, and the Hurst Fire in Sylmar at 500 acres.
Almost 300,000 homes and businesses across southern California had been left without power as the fire continues to rage, meanwhile over a thousand fire service personnel have been deployed to the scene to try and combat the fires.
Pacific Palisades is a residential community and attracts very few tourists, however, the area it sits in, Los Angeles County, is popular with visitors who are heading to the sandy shores of Venice Beach, exploring Hollywood and touring round studios and museums among many other attractions.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) sits relatively close to the Palisades fires, but so far minimal travel disruption has occurred.
Meanwhile, several roads including parts of the Pacific Coast Highway have been closed as of early Wednesday morning.
Has the fire impacted flights at LAX?
LAX is around 19 miles south of Pacific Palisades, but the majority of arrivals and departures have continued as normal amid the wildfires.
As of Wednesday morning, the majority of flights scheduled to arrive have done so on time, with the exception of a couple of flights that had been delayed, but there appears to be no cancellations since Tuesday, data from FlightRadar24 shows.
There were a number of diversions on Tuesday, such as a Flexjet flight that diverted to Long Beach Airport and a Southwest flight which was diverted to San Diego Airport.
On Tuesday, there were very few cancelled departures, however the majority of flights saw delays of no more than an hour. Some departures that did experience longer delays, however, especially moving into the late evening.
Has the fire impacted other travel?
The LAFD said that the Pacific Coast Highway is closed from McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica to Topanga Canyon with LAPD managing traffic for evacuations.
Caltrans, California’s Department of Transportation, has announced several road closures due to the wildfires throughout region.
“As of 1.30am, highways are being fully closed at various locations due to fires or wind-related incidents. Limit your non-essential travel & stay away from the areas!” Caltrans wrote in its update.
Closures as of 1am local time on Wednesday:
Government travel advice
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for the USA, warning travellers of the fast-spreading wildfires that are currently active within Los Angeles County.
The FCDO wrote: “You should monitor local media and follow the advice of the local authorities. More detailed information can be found on CAL FIRE.
“If you are in need of consular assistance, you should call +1 310 789 0031 or visit Emergency help. In the UK, call +44 (0) 20 7008 5000.”
Where are the fires and where is under evacuation orders?
The wildfires that have engulfed several homes have spread around the affluent Pacific Palisades area in Los Angeles County.
By Tuesday evening, the fire had expanded from 300 acres to nearly 3,000, fueled by a fierce windstorm.
Evacuation orders remain in effect for a large area including North to Mulholland Road, East to Kenter Road and South to the Pacific Coast Highway, the LAFD said.
Aside from the Palisades, the Hurst Fire, which is raging through Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley, has grown to 500 acres and is at 0 per cent containment, according to the latest incident update by Cal Fire.
According to the latest estimates from the USDA Forest Service, the Eaton Fire, impacting Altadena, Pasadena, Arcadia, and Sierra Madre, has grown to 1,000 acres at 0 per cent containment.
Cal Fire issued a red flag warning for the region saying it faced the threat of extreme wildfires fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, low humidity, and critically dry vegetation.
Can I cancel my holiday or flight and get a refund?
As the Foreign Office has not warned against non-essential travel to the USA, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund.
The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it’s best to contact them if you’re looking to postpone.
There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim travel insurance due to safety concerns unless the Foreign Office advice changes.
In terms of travel insurance, some policies include natural disaster cover for an event that prevents you from reaching your holiday destination. Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand.
As for flights, Simon Calder, travel correspondent at The Independent, says: “Whatever the cause of a cancellation, and regardless of the amount of notice that is given, you can insist upon replacement transport: the airline must get you to your destination as soon as possible if that is what you want.”
“The UK Civil Aviation Authority says that means if a flight is available on the original day of travel, the passenger must be booked on it – even if it is on a rival carrier.”
However, cash compensation may not be available, as the airlines may claim the wildfires come under ‘extraordinary circumstances’, which means that the cancellation was not the airline’s fault.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
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