Common Studios Hollywood Extends Closure for California Wildfires; Disneyland Stays Open

5 fast-moving wildfires unfold across the Los Angeles space, in addition to a number of smaller blazes, prompting Common Studios Hollywood to increase its closure by a minimum of another day. This publish addresses the present operational standing of Southern California theme parks as of Thursday, January 9, 2025, together with whether or not Disneyland will shut or have oblique impacts.

As you’ve possible seen on the information, lethal wildfires have damaged out throughout coastal areas of Southern California on account of a confluence of circumstances. These wildfires have proliferated on account of atypically highly effective Santa Ana winds plus low humidity plus barely any rain over the course of months.

There are actually 5 main fires spreading throughout Southern California which have scorched greater than 45 sq. miles and put roughly 179,000 individuals below evacuation orders, in keeping with native officers. A minimum of 5 individuals are lifeless, as greater than 1,300 buildings have burned and greater than 60,000 buildings stay threatened with robust winds persevering with to fan flames in densely populated elements of Los Angeles County.

The newest flames broke out Wednesday night within the Hollywood Hills, hanging nearer to the center of town and leisure trade and placing densely populated neighborhoods on edge throughout exceptionally windy and dry circumstances. This hearth started solely a couple of mile from the streets across the Hollywood Stroll of Fame and iconic Grauman’s Chinese language Theatre (the real-life inspiration for the theater of the identical identify in Disney’s Hollywood Studios).

Inside a couple of hours, firefighters had made main progress on the Sundown Hearth within the Hollywood Hills. It helped that wind and climate circumstances had already improved, whilst Purple Flag circumstances persist till 6 pm on Friday, in keeping with the Nationwide Climate Service Los Angeles/Oxnard. By 7:30 a.m. Thursday, all evacuation orders are to be lifted, in keeping with the Los Angeles Hearth Division.

Three of the 5 blazes burning Thursday morning aren’t contained in any respect, together with the Palisades and Eaton fires. The Palisades Hearth in Los Angeles is the biggest, and has grown to cowl over 17,000 acres or almost 27 sq. miles and destroyed tons of of buildings, in keeping with the California Division of Forestry and Hearth Safety, or Cal Hearth.

The Eaton Hearth, within the hills above Altadena in northern Los Angeles County, has killed 5 individuals, burned greater than 16 sq. miles and destroyed virtually 1,000 buildings. The smaller Hurst and Lidia fires have scorched a minimum of 855 acres and 348 acres, respectively. The Hurst Hearth was 10% contained and the Lidia Hearth was 10% contained as of Thursday morning.

As these firefighters work to include the above blazes, the chance of further fast-moving and wind-driven wildfires will persist via a minimum of Friday.

Common Studios Hollywood is positioned north of Los Angeles, and is far nearer to the present conflagrations. Accordingly, right here’s the complete assertion launched by USH on Thursday morning:

Out of an abundance of warning, Common Studios Hollywood and Common CityWalk shall be closed on Thursday, January 9 on account of the intense winds and hearth circumstances.

• Common Studios Hollywood shall be closed in the present day, January 9, 2025 and is predicted to open for enterprise Friday, January 10, 2025.
• Common CityWalk shall be closed in the present day, January 9, 2025 and is predicted to open for enterprise Friday, January 10, 2025.
  As all the time, the security of our crew members and our company is our prime precedence. We proceed to evaluate the state of affairs and are directing company to go to our web site for updates.

Keep tuned for essential info on how company impacted by in the present day’s closure will be capable to modify their plans.

At current, Common Studios Hollywood has hours listed for January 10, 2025. We wouldn’t learn an excessive amount of into that at this level; it’s completely attainable that USH might keep closed on account of ongoing fires, or the risk thereof on account of excessive winds, poor air high quality, or just on account of staffing. Many Common Staff Members can have extra pressing and essential issues to cope with within the aftermath of the fires.

Different fashionable vacationer locations, together with however not restricted to the Getty and Getty Villa, Los Angeles Zoo, and Griffith Observatory shall be closed on January 9, 2025. Present closures are largely confined to the north aspect of Los Angeles County.

Six Flags Magic Mountain ended up remaining closed yesterday, and is predicted to be closed once more in the present day, though no formal announcement has been made. No different theme parks have reported closures.

Disneyland has not made any bulletins about operational modifications.

Disneyland and Disney California Journey didn’t shut beforehand, and aren’t anticipated to shut on January 9, 2025. It needs to be enterprise as normal, for probably the most half, because the closest main hearth to Disneyland continues to be roughly 30 miles away.

The map above from CalFire exhibits the proximity of the parks to the 5 fires, in addition to the smoke and haze forecast (yellow) and crimson flag warnings. Disneyland has a Smoke and Haze Forecast of 25-63 PPM (the center of 5 tiers, and what applies to most of SoCal outdoors the quick space of the fires) and is below a crimson flag warning.

Suffice to say, Disneyland won’t be straight impacted by any of the 5 wildfires, there may very well be oblique impacts. The largest of those is the wind. That’s technically separate from the wildfires–it’s extra the catalyst for his or her unfold–however these robust Santa Ana winds might trigger cancellations and closures. There already aren’t any fireworks scheduled for the subsequent couple days (not a brand new improvement), however these would assuredly be cancelled. They’re often nixed in a lot calmer circumstances.

We’ve heard experiences from readers about sure out of doors character meet & greets on account of climate, in addition to the Wonderful Spider-Man present at Avengers Campus in Disney California Journey (that includes the Spider-Man “Stuntronics” determine that’s flung above the buildings).

One other chance is the cancellation of World of Shade – ONE. Apparent candidates for closure are Golden Zephyr and Foolish Symphony Swings at Disney California Journey. These cancellations ought to truly begin to enhance with winds dying down. Nevertheless, there may very well be different oblique impacts on account of air high quality.

It’s additionally value reiterating that the entire above pertains to the present wildfires.

New wildfires are attainable, because the circumstances are conducive to them. Per CalFire, there’s a Purple Flag warning for many of Southern California, from north of the present fires all the way in which right down to the southern border of the state (minus the shoreline).

All through in the present day and on Friday, winds will start to chill out and relative humidity will start to climb. Anaheim is usually not deemed a excessive threat for wildfires within the first place.

Above is a take a look at the present air high quality map, courtesy of the the South Coast Air High quality Administration District. Whereas there are areas that unhealthy to the north the place the wildfires are burning, Anaheim is in a patch of fine as of Thursday morning, which is an enchancment over yesterday’s average ranking.

Air high quality is predicted to worsen because the wildfires proceed to burn however the winds die down. The smoke circumstances for the whole South Coast AQMD jurisdiction, which incorporates Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties, can be seen right here.

Native governments have issued reminders to have a 5-minute evacuation plan in place. With how shortly these fires have been transferring and the way sluggish visitors was via some necessary evacuation areas, that’s good recommendation–so we figured we’d share this 5-minute plan & guidelines for different Californians needing one.

Finally, it is a historic incidence and it’s unattainable to say the way it’ll develop. My guess is that the largest impression on Disneyland is that the parks shall be ghost cities January 9-10, as locals to the north have larger considerations to take care of and most locals to the south are anxious about comparable circumstances arising round their properties, and never desirous to be within the parks in consequence.

In case you’re a vacationer, you might need comparable considerations about smoke and ash within the air. It’s additionally attainable that flights out of Bob Hope Airport shall be delayed or cancelled, however I can’t think about many Disneyland company flying into Burbank. Past sharing that it’s largely enterprise as normal at Disneyland and doubtless will stay that manner, I’m unsure what actionable recommendation to supply.

The largest factor that involves thoughts is being particularly courteous to Forged Members and granting them grace. That is underscored by current social media posts from Disney CEO Bob Iger surveying the devastation in Pacific Palisades and legendary Imagineer Joe Rohde sharing heartfelt ideas on the loss in Altadena (each are properly value studying). It’s possible that a number of the firm’s leaders in Burbank misplaced their properties within the Palisades or Sundown fires, and Glendale-based groups misplaced theirs within the Eaton hearth.

1000’s of properties have already been destroyed, with important impacts past these north of Los Angeles. Disneyland frontline Forged Members are unlikely to reside within the areas which have burned, however locals are on edge, regardless, apprehensive about their households and associates, and whether or not the subsequent hearth to interrupt out is perhaps nearer to residence. Our ideas exit to all of these affected by the wildfires, and our honest thanks to these courageous people out on the frontlines combating the fires and aiding in evacuations.

Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Suggestions for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Study on-site and off-site motels in our Anaheim Resort Opinions & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seaside, and lots of different SoCal cities!

Your Ideas

Ideas on the Sundown, Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, or Lidia wildfires? Any further on-the-ground experiences to share from Disneyland or round Southern California? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions—even once you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!