Is LAX closed due to Los Angeles fires? Here's what you need to know.

• Air travel is being disrupted by strong winds and wildfires in Los Angeles.
• Several airlines have waived change fees for flights to Los Angeles and Orange County.
• Some flights to Burbank were diverted, and passengers photographed the fires from the skies.

The wildfires devastating Los Angeles and the strong winds intensifying them are disrupting air travel in and around the city.

Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX, remained open as of Thursday. LAX, the city's main airport, is over 10 miles from Pacific Palisades, where the largest fire, the Palisades Fire, is burning.

Other Los Angeles area airports, including Hollywood Burbank Airport, also remained open.

At LAX, 134 flights were delayed on Thursday while 40 were canceled, according to data from FlightAware. LAX has an average of nearly 700 daily nonstop flights. On Wednesday, 282 were delayed and 11 were canceled.

The airport said it was open and operating normally but advised passengers to check their flight status with their airline.

At Hollywood Burbank Airport, which is smaller than LAX, 21 flights were delayed on Thursday while 4 were canceled, according to FlightAware. On Wednesday, 57 were delayed and 45 were canceled.

On social media, the airport also told travelers to check their flight status before flying.

After a lengthy dry spell in the region, the Santa Ana winds produced gusts up to nearly 90 mph this week. The strong winds and the fires — which have led to five deaths and more than 130,000 people being evacuated — have caused knock-on effects, including significant flight delays and airlines issuing waivers to allow passengers to amend their flights.

American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and JetBlue are among the carriers that are issuing waivers for change fees. The affected airports are LAX, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Ontario International Airport, and Santa Ana's John Wayne Airport.

The BBC reporter Ben Derico said his Wednesday flight to Burbank had to turn around and return to Las Vegas.

"After a bumpy attempt at touching down the landing was abandoned," he wrote. "The captain told us the winds were just too strong."

Tai Wright, from North Hollywood, told Newsweek her flight from Dallas to Burbank diverted to LAX.

"The heat inside the aircraft started to rise, and the smoke smell filled the cabin," she said.

"The entire landing was rocky, with the aircraft swaying and turning in all directions right up until touchdown, and everyone on board applauded with good reason after we touched ground."

Santa Monica Airport is the closest to the wildfires, about 3 miles south of an evacuation order resulting from the Palisades fire. It is a general aviation airport, which means commercial flights don't typically operate there.

Aviation is also playing a key role in fighting the wildfires. The Los Angeles Fire Department said 12 helicopters and six fixed-wing aircraft were in operation.

The FAA issued two temporary flight restrictions on Thursday near the fires in order to keep the area clear for firefighting aviation operations.