If you’re in California, heading there soon, or live in the area, there’s something you need to know that could affect your trip drastically.

Disneyland

On Thursday, May 21st, a hazmat incident occurred in Garden Grove, California, located just five miles from Knott’s Berry Farm and seven miles from Disneyland. While both parks remain open at this time, this is a developing situation, and things can change on a dime. Here’s what you need to know right now.

According to The Orange County Register, a hazmat incident at GKN Aerospace on Western Avenue in Garden Grove occurred on Thursday, May 21st, and then began to worsen on Friday, May 22nd. The crisis involves a malfunctioning chemical tank threatening to explode and release a toxic cloud, which would affect hundreds of thousands of people in the area and surrounding miles, which would include Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland.

Between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure

Currently, the situation has forced 40,000 people to evacuate in an impact zone, which includes parts of Garden Grove, Anaheim, Cypress, Stanton, and Westminster. When speaking about the situation, a Knott’s Berry Farm employee spokesperson said, “The safety and well-being of our guests and team members is a cornerstone of our business. We are working closely with our partners at the Orange County Fire Authority to actively monitor the situation. At this time, the park has not been impacted.”

©Knott’s Berry Farm

Disneyland officials have also stated that the Disneyland Resort is actively monitoring the situation, taking guidance from local authorities, and supporting any and all Cast Members impacted by the evacuation order. The most recent update on the situation, as of 9:30 AM ET on Saturday, May 23rd, is that Orange County Fire Authority crews have stabilized the tank’s temperature in hopes of buying time to avoid a disaster.

UPDATE: As of the evening of Saturday, May 23rd, the Disneyland union instructed Cast Members who feel unsafe and are affected by the chemical leak. We also know that while Disneyland itself isn’t in the potential blast zone, many Disneyland guests stay in the Garden Grove area, and others travel through it on their way to the park. The governor has also declared a State of Emergency. This is an ongoing situation, and we will update you as we learn more.

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on this situation as we continue to hear more, so stay tuned to DFB.

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