The tragic wildfires that have been raging in Southern California have created devastating situations, forcing over 100,000 residents to evacuate their homes. Currently, more than five active fires are wreaking havoc in Los Angeles County, leading to widespread destruction.

At least five lives have been lost, and countless homes, businesses, and notable Hollywood sites are either at risk, damaged, or already ravaged, as described by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who termed it a “historic firestorm” during a briefing late Wednesday. Authorities are concerned that additional injuries and fatalities may occur until the fires are fully controlled.

Due to the prevailing dangers and the required emergency resources to address the fires, local professional and collegiate sports teams are rearranging their schedules. The NHL has postponed the Los Angeles Kings game originally set for Wednesday night, and the NFL is considering relocating the Los Angeles Rams’ playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday evening from SoFi Stadium if conditions are deemed unsafe.

Below are the latest developments on how the Los Angeles fires are affecting the sports community:

Lakers Coach JJ Redick’s Home Lost to Palisades Fire: Report

JJ Redick, first-year head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and veteran NBA player, disclosed this week that he resides in the Palisades area, which has been heavily affected by the surrounding wildfires. Redick confirmed that his family is among the more than 100,000 evacuations, and they are safe.

However, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Redick’s house did not survive the wildfire damage.

The NBA has postponed the game scheduled for Thursday night between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets at Crypto.com Arena due to the uncontrolled wildfires in the area.

UCLA Men’s Volleyball Matches Canceled

UCLA has called off two scheduled men’s volleyball matches due to health and safety concerns linked to the devastating wildfires impacting the Los Angeles region.

The Bruins had planned to host matches against Farleigh Dickinson and St. Francis on Thursday and Friday at Pauley Pavilion, but those events have been canceled for now. UCLA indicated that there’s a chance these matches could be rescheduled later. The university also announced the curtailment of its campus operations, including the cancellation of undergraduate classes and moving graduate courses to online format for the remainder of the week.

Postponement of Pepperdine, Loyola-Marymount Women’s Basketball Games

Two universities in the Los Angeles area postponed women’s basketball games set for Thursday evening due to the ongoing wildfires that are severely affecting the community.

Loyola-Marymount canceled its West Coast Conference matchup against San Diego, stating it will be played later this season “as a precautionary measure due to air quality issues inside Gersten Pavilion, related to ongoing renovations, and to ensure the safety of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, and fans.”

Pepperdine, located in Malibu, also postponed its women’s basketball game against Portland “due to the ongoing Palisades Fire and restricted access to campus.” Pepperdine is scheduled to host Loyola-Marymount for a women’s basketball game on Saturday, but a decision regarding that event has yet to be reached as of Thursday afternoon.

Postponement of Lakers vs. Hornets Game Due to LA Fires

The NBA declared that the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets, which was meant to be held at the Crypto.com Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, has been postponed because of the wildfires in the area. Details about the new date for the game will be shared later.

“The entire NBA community sends its thoughts and support to the Los Angeles community during this difficult time,” stated the NBA. “We are thankful to the numerous local firefighters and first responders who have displayed incredible courage. Our prayers are with those impacted by the unimaginable devastation caused by the wildfires.”

Earlier this week, Lakers coach JJ Redick shared that he lives in the Palisades neighborhood greatly impacted by the fires and that his family had to evacuate. Steve Kerr, coach of the Golden State Warriors, also mentioned that his 90-year-old mother was forced to evacuate as well.

Update on Los Angeles Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings NFL Playoffs Game

The Los Angeles Rams reaffirmed in a statement on Thursday that they plan to proceed with their NFL playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings as scheduled for Monday night. This game is part of the league’s wild-card weekend and is set to occur at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, not far from where several monumental wildfires are causing destruction in the Los Angeles area.

The Rams confirmed that if the situation becomes unsafe, the NFL’s backup plan is to relocate the playoff game to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

“At this time, that is only a contingency plan, and if it is invoked, we will communicate with all ticket holders via email about how it impacts their tickets,” the Rams stated in their announcement. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will remain in communication with local officials, the NFL, and the NFLPA. We hope everyone is safe and we look forward to seeing you on Monday night.”

Gary Hall Jr. Loses Home and Olympic Medals to Wildfires

Swimmer Gary Hall Jr. reported that the fast-moving wildfires in the Los Angeles region forced him to abandon all 10 of his Olympic medals. The residence he was renting in Pacific Palisades, which also served as his business base, was engulfed by the flames, taking nearly all of his belongings with it, Hall Jr. shared with the Sydney Herald.

“I did think about the medals. I did not have time to get them,” Hall Jr. stated. “Everyone’s asking if the medals burned. Yes, everything was lost. It’s something I can manage without. In the end, it’s all just material stuff. It’ll be tough to rebuild, but what can you do?”

Hall achieved gold medals in the men’s 50-meter freestyle at the 2000 (Sydney) and 2004 (Athens) Olympics consecutively. He also earned three gold medals as part of Team USA’s relay squads in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He has a total of three silver medals and two bronze medals over his Olympic participation.

Find out more about the scene Hall described as “worse than any apocalypse movie you’ve ever seen.”

NFL May Relocate Rams-Vikings Playoff Game to Arizona Due to Wildfires

The NFL is considering relocating the wild-card playoff match between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings if it cannot be safely held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Monday night.

The league issued a statement on Wednesday confirming that while plans are in place to continue hosting the game at the Rams’ home venue, they are ready to move it to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona if required, due to the ongoing wildfires in the area.

“The NFL prioritizes the safety of the Los Angeles community. We are thankful for the relentless work of the first responders. Our thoughts are with Los Angeles and all who are impacted by the fires,” the statement noted. “We will continuously monitor the situation and stay in close contact with local authorities, both teams, and the NFLPA.”

Historic Golf Course in Los Angeles Threatened by Wildfires

The famous Riviera Country Club, a landmark in American golf history, is directly in the path of the wildfire. The location for the Genesis Invitational has been placed under mandatory evacuation as the fire remains uncontrolled. The club is slated to host its PGA Tour event from February 13 to 16, with the Genesis being regarded as a prestigious event on the tour.

The video below illustrates how close the fires are to Riviera. Additional details can be found in Golf Week’s coverage.

Kawhi Leonard Takes Time Off from Clippers to Assist Family

Kawhi Leonard, a star forward for the Los Angeles Clippers, has taken a leave from the team to assist his family members who have been forced to evacuate due to the wildfires in Southern California, as reported by NBA insider Chris Haynes.

Leonard purchased a home in the severely affected Pacific Palisades area in 2021 and will miss the Clippers’ game against Denver on Wednesday night, with no clear timeline for his return.

Los Angeles Kings Game Postponed

The NHL announced that the Los Angeles Kings game against the Calgary Flames scheduled for Wednesday night has been postponed.

“Due to the severe consequences of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, tonight’s match between the Kings and Flames at Crypto.com Arena, NHL Game No. 653, has been postponed,” the NHL stated in a Wednesday announcement. “Our thoughts are with the Kings, hockey fans, and the residents of Los Angeles during this challenging time.”

The league advised that a rescheduled date will be announced as soon as it’s confirmed.