L.A. Wildfires: Are flights out of YVR cancelled and is it safe to travel to Southern California?

Tens of thousands have been evacuated in Los Angeles County, a popular destination for tourists visiting Disneyand or Hollywood.

Published Jan 08, 2025  •  Last updated 25 minutes ago  •  5 minute read

A home burns during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, California on Jan. 8, 2025. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) Photo by JOSH EDELSON /AFP via Getty Images

Four wildfires are spreading fast in Los Angeles, fuelled by a powerful wind storm and prompting an evacuation order for tens of thousands of people.

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The hardest hit is the one in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood at 47 square kilometres (or about 19 Stanley Parks) followed by the Eaton fire, which is estimated to be 42 square kilometres. Officials say at least two people have died in one of the fires and more than 1,000 structures have been destroyed.

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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 Wednesday afternoon, none of the fires had been contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Flames were being pushed by Santa Ana winds topping 97 km/h in some places Tuesday, increasing to 129 km/h by early Wednesday, according to reports received by the National Weather Service.

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.

Source: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

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

As of 7 a.m., all flights out of YVR to LAX Wednesday were scheduled to leave on time.

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.

Is the Los Angeles International Airport open?

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Most international flights are landing at LAX on time. No changes were expected Wednesday to operations at LAX, which is located about 32 kilometres southeast of Pacific Palisades where the wildfires are spreading. However, travellers are advised to check with their airlines to confirm their flight details. 

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

Is it safe to travel to L.A. because of the wildfires?

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.

However, the U.S. National Weather Service warns there is a “life-threatening and destructive windstorm” expected Tuesday and Wednesday.

The alert says there are several areas of concern in L.A., including Hollywood and Beverly Hills. It urges people to stay indoors and to stay away from windows.

The Palisades Fire burns a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. Photo by Ethan Swope /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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 marched 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 13,000 structures are under threat, with at least 1,000 already lost. At least two people have died.

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 putting out a plea for off-duty firefighters to help. 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.

A firefighter sprays water on a burning home while battling the Eaton Fire on January 08, 2025 in Altadena, California. Fuelled by intense Santa Ana Winds, the Palisades Fire has grown to over 2,900 acres and 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate while a second fire has emerged near Eaton Canyon in Altadena. Photo by Justin Sullivan /Getty Images

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

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

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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 Wednesday it would be closed because of the intense wildfires.

“Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk will be closed today as a result of the extreme winds and fire conditions. We will continue to assess the situation and expect to open for business tomorrow. The safety of our team members and our guests is our top priority,” a message on its website stated.

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.

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.

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“The house rattles with 90-kilometre-an-hour winds so I can’t even imagine 100 miles-an-hour 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 called the fires in L.A. a firestorm that will likely get much worse before it 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.”

McGillivray said leaders in Canada need to start making plans for wildfire threats to major cities, like Edmonton or Vancouver.

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Will Canada send firefighters?

A pair of Quebec water bombers and their crews are already in California helping fight the L.A. fires.

A spokesperson for the provincial Transport Department said the two Quebec government planes have been actively involved in fighting the fires since Tuesday.

The two planes are sent to California each fall as part of an annual contract that has existed for more than 30 years.

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which is operated by fire management agencies across Canada, said it has no resources deployed to the California firefighting effort, and there were no “anticipated requests.”

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

People flee from the advancing Palisades Fire, by car and on foot, in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. Photo by Etienne Laurent /AP photo

Residents of a senior centre are evacuated as the Eaton Fire approaches Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. Photo by Ethan Swope /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

More to come …

With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press

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