Pack patience: Fires, storms, politics clogging summer travel

Summer, with its often-violent storms, does not always mix well with business travel. But the wildfires in the West and high-security events like the London Olympics and two political conventions are making this summer particularly challenging. For traveling in the West, for example, the wildfires that forced hotel evacuations and closings in Colorado in June were the start of a record-setting fire season that is expected to continue into October and November. For those headed east, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last week raised its prediction of hurricanes this season.

Along with anticipated protests, the conventions may lead to road closings and general disruptions. What this all means to business travelers and employers, said Wendy Lane, a labor and employment attorney with Greenberg Glusker in Los Angeles who drafts travel policies for corporate clients, is "an extra level of delay as airlines maximize efficiency by canceling flights and consolidating flights.