
How Wildfires & Snowstorms Are Impacting Shippers
The United States is no stranger to extreme weather conditions. But in particular, the first few weeks of 2025 have brought unprecedented crises. From the relentless and truly devastating wildfires scorching Southern California to extremely rare snowstorms blanketing the Southeastern states, these events are not only wreaking havoc on local communities, but the wildfires are also causing extreme devastation, leaving families displaced, homes destroyed, and entire communities reeling from loss.
During this challenging time, communities have come together across all different states to offer support in any way they can. But how are these situations impacting the trucking industry and you as a shipper? Although the current conditions are polar opposites, literally fire, and ice. Both seem to be having a similar effect on our roads, leaving drivers, and logistics teams navigating extremely hazardous conditions, delays, and rerouted deliveries. In this blog, we’re going to touch on the two very different landscapes we’re facing here in the States at the moment and discuss the detrimental effects to the general public, the effects you’re seeing as a shipper, and share some helpful tips to get us through these and future challenges together.
Wildfires in LA
The devastation we are seeing from the Los Angeles wildfires right now is utterly heartbreaking. The impacts of these wildfires have ranked among the most destructive in LA history and it’s clear to see how when you look at the harrowing images and videos being published. The fires are being further fuelled by strong Santa Ana winds and dry conditions, causing the spread of flames and smoke across the Palisades, which have engulfed entire neighborhoods. Leaving families with no choice but to evacuate their homes, leaving behind their whole lives, only to return to rubble, ash, and sights that can only be described as those from a doomsday movie.
With mass evacuations, currently totaling around 31,000 people under mandatory evacuation and a further 23,000 under evacuation warning, roads surrounding the affected areas of wildfires are struggling with capacity, causing huge delays. But it’s not just the traffic that is causing serious delays in these areas, visibility issues from the heavy, thick blanket of smoke is having a huge impact too, and creating very dangerous driving conditions.
These conditions are resulting in significant problems for everyone, including the transportation world, who are presented with a dual challenge, delivering essential goods all while ensuring their safety. With a ton of road closures understandably due to the fires, long detours are a reality that is leading to lengthy delays. Since the main focus of most trucking companies around the affected areas is on delivering aid to those in need right now, it means that they are battling against time to deliver critical aid such as water, food, and medical supplies to those in need.
Snowstorms in the Southeast
On the other side of the US, our Southern and South Eastern states and cities including; Houston, New Orleans, Alabama, and Florida which might we add are more accustomed to sweltering heat seem to be experiencing frequent freezing temperatures and historic levels of snowfall. Levels that we would only ever expect to see up in the Northern states. In fact, Louisiana was issued its first-ever blizzard warning earlier this week!
For many in these areas, this is exciting and fun, which we totally agree with, we’ve made a few snowmen ourselves. In fact, some children in these states have never even witnessed snow firsthand before, so being able to build a snowman in their backyard, make a snow angel, go sledding, or have a snow fight is all too exciting ☃️. However, anyone needing to travel, knows it’s not all fun and games, and the snowstorms are presenting a large array of challenges.
Southern and South Eastern highways and roads are simply not designed, nor prepared for snowy or icy conditions and a lack of proper snow-clearing vehicles and equipment means that icy conditions linger for longer. This makes driving an extremely hazardous activity. Luckily a lot of people can work remotely since the pandemic in 2020, because without appropriate vehicles people are not leaving their homes. For the people that do make it onto the roads, they must drive with extra caution, slow down, or reroute entirely, due to the conditions and road closures. Again, this poses significant delays in the transportation world, because flights are being halted due to snowstorms not being suitable for flight, trucks are delayed due to road conditions and a handful of ports have closed after being smacked with the rare winter storm.
What Does All Of This Mean For You As The Shipper?
Like with any severe weather or natural disaster, there is always ripple effects to the transportation industry. Deliveries might not go as planned due to delays and reroutes. Sometimes these situations simply cannot be planned for, however, what you can do is work on the following tips to stay prepared and adaptable for future scenarios.
Tips
1. Allow extra time for your freight to travel through affected and surrounding areas
Whether you’re shipping to or from an affected area, it’s essential to build in extra transit time. Allowing for this added time manages customer expectations.
2. Inform customers and colleagues of potential delays ahead of time if possible
Most customers will allow a grace period for delayed shipments during these times. Transparency is crucial and providing realistic timeframes with regular updates can help to keep trust and demonstrate that you’re proactively addressing the situation.
3. Monitor weather and news updates closely
These types of situations can change rapidly, and staying up to date and informed can help you to make proactive decisions.
The Human Cost Of These Crises
It’s important to remember that while delays and changes to plans can be frustrating, in most cases a positive solution will be found. Making, some of these issues seem minor in comparison to the human emotional toll people are experiencing in LA right now.
Families directly affected by the wildfires might feel the lasting impacts for life, and while we can’t say when the wildfires will be completely put out, we can say for sure that the devastating effects will be seen for a very long time to come with the rebuilding process taking years.
There are a ton of great charitable organizations offering aid and relief to those affected, in LA that you can donate to, we know times are tough at the moment but if you can help in any way then please do. Even if it’s sharing posts on social media to raise more awareness of the devastation. Every little helps!
Sending love to everyone affected in these difficult times, stay safe.
Love from the PEI team ❤️
We’re working as hard as we can to keep your specialized or expedited shipments on time.
If you have any important shipments that cannot wait, get in touch with us and we will find you a solution.