LOS ANGELES — The NHL has announced the postponement of the Los Angeles Kings’ upcoming home game against the Calgary Flames, originally set for Wednesday night, due to the presence of several large wildfires threatening the greater Los Angeles area.
Both teams were slated to play at the Kings’ downtown venue. In a related scheduling note, the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers are expected to host the Charlotte Hornets at the same location on Thursday evening.
In a statement, the Kings expressed their solidarity with the local community, saying, “Our hearts are with our entire Los Angeles community. We appreciate the hardworking first responders who are diligently working to contain the fire and protect our community. We are grateful for the league’s support in keeping our fans, staff, and players safe.”
Meanwhile, the Pepperdine women’s basketball team also postponed its home game against the University of Portland, which was set for Thursday night at Firestone Field House on the Malibu campus. The West Coast Conference confirmed this decision. Classes at Pepperdine have been canceled, and access to the coastal campus has been limited.
The NFL is keeping a careful watch on how the wildfires might affect the preparations of its two Los Angeles teams, especially regarding the Rams’ upcoming wild-card game against the Minnesota Vikings, scheduled for Monday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
If adjustments must be made, the NFL stated that the game could potentially be moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of the Arizona Cardinals. This isn’t the first time the league has reacted to wildfires; in 2003, a Monday night game between the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers was relocated to Arizona due to similar circumstances.
As of Wednesday, three significant fires are ablaze in different regions of the vast Los Angeles metropolitan area, following a two-day spell of severe winds. Currently, evacuation orders affect at least 70,000 residents, and over 1,000 structures have been reported destroyed.
While both the Rams and the Chargers practice in areas not directly impacted by the wildfires, both teams remain vigilant about the prevailing air quality and how it might influence their training sessions. On Wednesday, the Chargers adjusted their practice schedule to limit outdoor exposure in coastal El Segundo, while the Rams planned to resume practice on Thursday.
To mitigate risks, Chargers Coach Jim Harbaugh arranged for the offensive and defensive units to conduct separate practices, limiting their exposure to the outdoor environment. At the beginning of one such practice session, air quality measurements registered at 185—the threshold for unhealthy air quality begins at 150.
