Universal Studios Hollywood Closed Due to Los Angeles Wildfires

Universal Studios in Hollywood and Universal CityWalk announced they will not be open or operational on Thursday, January 9, 2025, as a result of the extreme winds and fires currently spreading throughout Los Angeles. The park was previously closed on January 8 as well. 

The park remains closed on Thursday after making the decision to close the park the previous day as the fires continued to rage throughout southern California. On Wednesday morning, the park issued a brief statement on social media explaining that neither the park nor Citywalk would be open, noting the extreme weather conditions. The statement explains the decision was made out of an abundance of caution for the safety of both the parks' staff and guests. 

“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,” the statement reads. 

On Thursday, Universal Studios Hollywood issued a similar statement announcing the park would be closed on the 9th as well. Once again, the people behind the park currently plan to be open for business as early as Friday, January 10, 2025. However, that is likely subject to change as the ever-evolving situation continues as firefighters work to contain the various fires.

According to NBC News, the fast-moving fires have led to more than 80,000 people being evacuated from areas around Los Angeles. The outlet notes that several fires have already burned through thousands of acres of land throughout the city and surrounding areas. The fires are believed to have sparked due to a combination of dry conditions and powerful winds helping them spread “far beyond the danger zones.” 

The fires have led to some fatalities as of Wednesday morning. Universal Studios and Universal Citywalk join almost 20 school districts in the city that are currently closed due to the conditions and the flames. Residents in the affected areas as well as those in the projected path of the fires are instructed to leave the area as soon as possible.

For up-to-date updates on the situation in California, check NBC News' coverage here.