Los Angeles-area wildfires continue to disrupt schedules, forcing the cancellation of this weekend's horse racing at Santa Anita Park and postponing a Pepperdine University basketball doubleheader. The escalating Palisades fire, fueled by worsening conditions, led to the decision.
Santa Anita Park, located in Arcadia, originally planned to hold races this weekend. However, due to the fire's expansion and its impact on air quality across Los Angeles County, the decision was made to cancel events. While air quality at the track remains within regulatory limits, officials cited the broader regional impact. The track's facilities are now being used to support relief efforts.
The track's south parking lot has become a drop-off point for charitable donations, while Southern California Edison is using the north parking lot as a base camp for power restoration efforts. Santa Anita is further supporting various organizations in need. Racing activities are temporarily halted while the relief effort remains active.
The wildfires also cast a shadow over the college basketball season. Pepperdine University's men's and women's basketball doubleheader scheduled for Saturday has been postponed due to the ongoing Palisades fire and travel concerns for Loyola Marymount University. While the Pepperdine campus is not immediately threatened, the campus remains partially inaccessible. The West Coast Conference is now working with both schools to reschedule the games.
Meanwhile, the University of Southern California (USC) is proceeding with its planned Big Ten women's basketball game against Penn State on Sunday, though officials are closely monitoring the fire situation. This demonstrates the varying impact of the fires across the region.
Scheduled dates for rescheduled events will be announced as they become available.
