The NFL has issued a statement regarding the upcoming NFC Wild Card playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams as wildfires continue to devastate the Los Angeles suburbs.
The game will be played Monday night at the Rams' home, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
“The NFL's priority is the safety of the Los Angeles community,” the league's statement said. 'We are grateful for the tireless efforts of first responders. Our hearts go out to Los Angeles and everyone affected by the fires.
'We continue to prepare to play the Vikings-Rams game as scheduled on Monday night at SoFi Stadium. As with all games, contingency plans are in place should a change of location be necessary.
'In this case, the game would be played Monday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, if necessary.
“We will continue to closely monitor developments in the area and remain in contact with public officials, both from the clubs and the NFLPA.”
NFL has contingency plan if Vikings-Rams playoff game can't be played in California
The game will take place at SoFi Stadium in the city of Inglewood, Los Angeles County.
The game could be moved to State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals
The Los Angeles sports world has been rocked by multiple simultaneous wildfires, which have spread to cover tens of thousands of acres and are not contained.
This led the NHL to cancel a Wednesday night hockey game between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
In the NBA, Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard said he will “step away” from the team while his family is evacuated from the raging inferno in Pacific Palisades. Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick and his family were also evacuated from the same area.
What's more, ESPN canceled Wednesday's broadcast of NBA Today from its studio in Los Angeles, while schools near the Palisades fire, such as UCLA and Pepperdine, remain stable but prepared to cancel any number of sporting events at any time. .
Three large fires burned Wednesday in areas of the vast Los Angeles metroplex after two days of extraordinary winds.
At least 70,000 people have evacuation orders and more than 1,000 structures have been destroyed. So far, five people have died in the fire north of Pasadena in a canyon several miles east of the venerable Rose Bowl.
The Rams and Los Angeles Chargers are training in areas not threatened by fires, but both teams are monitoring air quality and its potential impact on their preparations.
The Chargers changed their practice schedule Wednesday to minimize their players' outdoor time on the El Segundo coast, while the Rams don't resume practice until Thursday. The Chargers will be on the road Saturday against the Houston Texans in the wild card round.
Multiple fires throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area are causing devastation in the area
The Rams said no players or staff members had yet been affected by the fires. The team is based in Woodland Hills, a neighborhood about 13 miles north of fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades but separated by the Santa Monica Mountains.
The fire started around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, shortly after the onset of a wind storm in Santa Ana that the National Weather Service warned could be “life-threatening” and the strongest to hit southern Mexico. California in more than a decade.
Winds were expected to increase overnight and continue for days, producing isolated gusts that could exceed 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) in mountains and hills, even in areas that have not seen substantial rain in months.