Smoky Skies From Sherpa Fire Not Keeping Tourists From Solvang

Just a handful of miles from Solvang, the Sherpa Fire rages on.

“There’s a lot of smoke looming over the mountain,” said Gene Tung, visiting with his family from Arilington, Texas. “It’s worrisome, but it’s not going to stop me from enjoying my vacation.”

Despite a smoky backdrop to this popular tourist town, visitors are still packing the sidewalk, many of whom traveling from afar.

“We’ve had a nice coffee and some morning tea and there was no smell of smoke in the air, everybody seems to be going about their business,” said Bob McDonald, on vacation from Australia.

Smoke from the three-day old fire wasn’t an issue earlier in the day, but by the afternoon, the unmistakable smell of it was easy to detect.

“It’s kind of scary because you don’t know where it’s coming from and how close it is really,” said Temecula resident Marci Wade, visiting with a Girl Scouts troop camping nearby.

Even with the fire burning out-of-control in the hills just a few miles away, it’s still business as usual here.

“I’ve been hearing there isn’t a room to be had,” said David Rasmussen, owner, Rasmussen’s Solvang, an iconic downtown souvenir shop. “The hotel rooms are full and we expect a big crowd this weekend.”

While Rasmussen isn’t worried about business in the short-term, he’s hoping the fire will be extinguished quickly.

“I wouldn’t see any impacts of long range, expect if the fire kept going for several days and people would change their travel plans, maybe go south instead of north from Los Angeles,” said Rasmussen.

One major impact from the fire the fire has had on Solvang has been an increase in traffic. Highway 246, the major thoroughfare through the city was bumper to bumper for most of Friday.

“When the Highway 101 closes, people having to come over the pass and on the 154, people tend to find us a little more often, so for those who weren’t planning on coming here already, it’s kind of nice,” said Tracy Farhad, executive direction, Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau.

Farhad adds the bureau has received several calls from travelers concerned about possible road closures into the city.

“No (hotel) cancellations that I know of,” said Farhad. “We let them know how and they still keep on coming.”

That’s good news for the city’s economy, especially now during the busy summer tourist season.

“Solving is open for business and we’re good,” said Farhad. “We’ve got blue skies and the temperature is perfect here.”