Canadian Boycotts Hit Florida Tourism

And more of today's top travel news stories.Today in travel, we have several stories that may have flown under your radar. Among them: fires in Nevada may impact Burning Man; Canadian tourists are avoiding Florida; and the TSA is working on a modernization plan. Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news. Some or all of this article was crafted with help from AI. An editor reviewed and vetted this article before publishing. 1 OF 5 Hawk Fire Near Reno Forces Thousands to Evacuate, as Burning Man Approaches A rapidly spreading wildfire northwest of Reno has forced tens of thousands of people from their homes as firefighters battle the blaze amid dry conditions and unpredictable winds. The human-caused Hawk Fire began Saturday and had burned more than 15,000 acres by Monday morning, with no containment reported. Roughly 42,000 residents were under evacuation orders, while another 45,000 were in areas where people were told to prepare to leave. Several structures have burned, and six people—three civilians and three first responders—have been injured.Schools across Washoe County were closed Monday because of the evacuations and to reduce traffic for emergency crews. Portions of U.S. Route 395 have also been closed as firefighters work to keep the blaze away from additional residential and commercial areas. Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilized National Guard personnel and helicopters to assist with the response.The fire is also unfolding just as thousands of travelers begin heading through northern Nevada for Burning Man, which opens in the Black Rock Desert on August 30. Reno serves as the principal air and supply gateway for the event, and approved crews are already allowed to enter Black Rock City ahead of opening day. Reno-Tahoe International Airport remains outside the evacuation zone and commercial flights have continued, although nearby Reno-Stead Airport has been closed to general aviation so it can support firefighting operations. Road closures, evacuations, and heavy demand for local lodging could nevertheless complicate travel through the Reno area as Burning Man arrivals increase this week. 2 OF 5 Florida Tourism Dips as Canadian Visits Fall and Inflation Persists Florida tourism declined for the second consecutive quarter, with the state recording an estimated 34.01 million visitors between April and June—0.7% fewer than during the same period in 2025. Through the first half of 2026, Florida welcomed 73.5 million visitors, down 1.4% year over year, although tourism outside the Canadian market remains above pre-pandemic levels.Canadian travel continued to be a weak spot. About 721,000 Canadians visited Florida during the second quarter, a 4.2% decline from a year earlier, while the first-half total of 1.68 million represented a 13.9% drop. The decrease comes amid a broader pullback in Canadian travel to the United States that began in 2025 during heightened political and trade tensions. Statistics Canada described an 11-month stretch of year-over-year declines as the deepest and most sustained on record outside the pandemic period.Florida economists have also warned that inflation has been outpacing wage growth, contributing to greater reliance on credit. Meanwhile, Visit Florida is emphasizing historic attractions connected with the America 250 celebration and new efforts to draw visitors to rural communities.Read more at WGCU. 3 OF 5 Tropical Storm Moke Brings Life-Threatening Flood Risk to Hawaii’s Big Island Tropical Storm Moke passed south of Hawaii on Sunday, threatening the Big Island with another round of heavy rain just days after Hurricane Lala caused widespread flooding and damage. Around midday Sunday, Moke was centered about 320 miles south-southwest of Hilo with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. Forecasters said rainfall—not wind—posed the greatest threat, with as much as 10 inches expected across parts of the Big Island and isolated totals reaching 15 inches. Eastern Maui could receive up to 6 inches, while most other islands were forecast to see an inch or two.The new storm comes while communities are still recovering from Lala, which dumped 43.54 inches of rain along the Big Island’s northeast coast. More than 6,500 customers remained without electricity Sunday. Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda urged residents to remain off the roads and shelter in place, while Gov. Josh Green encouraged people to replenish food, medicine, and other necessities.Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Iselle was strengthening far southwest of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Forecasters said it could become a hurricane within a day or two and generate strong swells along Baja’s western coast beginning Monday.Read more at PBS. 4 OF 5 TSA Unveils Horizon 25 Plan to Modernize Airport Security The Transportation Security Administration has announced a new strategy for its next quarter century that calls for updated airport checkpoints, improvements to the passenger experience, and stronger security across multiple forms of transportation. Dubbed Horizon 25, the plan comes as TSA approaches the 25th anniversary of its creation.The announcement is more of a roadmap than an immediate overhaul for travelers. TSA Administrator David P. Cummins plans to bring together employees from the agency’s headquarters and field operations in September to develop several of its priorities. Those include expanding TSA PreCheck, speeding up the process for acquiring new screening technology, improving defenses against unmanned aircraft systems, and increasing collaboration with private companies.Horizon 25 will also replace the recently introduced TSA Gold+ initiative with a revised version of the agency’s existing Screening Partnership Program. TSA has not yet provided detailed rollout dates for most of the passenger-facing changes. Cummins said the broader goal is to improve security and checkpoint efficiency without sacrificing the traveler experience.Read the TSA press release. 5 OF 5 Norway Air Traffic Controllers End Strike, but Flight Disruptions Continue Norway’s air traffic controllers ended their strike Monday afternoon after nearly six hours of renewed negotiations with state-owned airport operator Avinor. The walkout had caused widespread disruptions over the weekend, with Oslo Gardermoen and Bergen’s Flesland Airport among the hardest-hit airports.Controllers were returning to work Monday, and Avinor said air traffic was gradually moving back toward normal. However, travelers could still encounter cancellations and delays as airlines reposition aircraft and accommodate passengers whose itineraries were disrupted during the strike. About 87,000 passengers were expected to pass through Oslo Airport on Monday alone.Details of the agreement remain largely confidential. The controllers had said their dispute centered on the need for more breaks during long shifts rather than higher pay. Negotiators did disclose that the agreement establishes a process for policies affecting senior controllers, including additional time off for employees over age 55.Passengers whose flights were canceled retain rights to reimbursement or rerouting under European air-passenger rules, which also apply to Norway. An air traffic control strike can be considered an extraordinary circumstance, however, potentially affecting eligibility for additional cash compensation.Read more at Norway’s News in English.