United Airlines has issued a flight change waiver for customers traveling through Santa Barbara due to the California wildfires, which are now burning into their second week.
United Airlines is waiving the change fee and any difference in fare for customers traveling through Santa Barbara December 12 – 15, on new flights departing on or before December 20. Rescheduled travel must tack place in the originally ticketed cabin (any fare class) and between the same cities as originally ticketed.
CNN reports that firefighters are making headway against the Thomas Fire, which is covering an area larger than all of New York City in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. That fire was about 20 percent contained as of Monday evening, as a breeze helped to improve visibility for fire crews.
“It’s still not great. It’s bad, but it’s a better bad,” Santa Barbara County fire spokesman Mike Eliason told CNN. “You want the breeze to clear the air, but you don’t want the breeze to fuel the fire.”
According to Reuters, fires that had been burning over the past week in San Diego and Los Angeles counties are largely under control. The Creek and Rye fires in Los Angeles County are at least 90 percent contained, while the Skirball Fire in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, which caused the closure of the Skirball and Getty Centers last week, was 85 percent contained. The Lilac Fire north of San Diego was 90 percent contained as of Monday afternoon.
Looking ahead, Reuters reports that the National Weather Service is predicting strong winds and low humidity through Thursday will continue to provide challenging conditions for firefighters.
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