LeBron James sends his prayers to those affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles and hopes the firefighters can get the blazes under control soon as the Lakers cancel their second game in a row in the wake of the inferno that has killed at least 11 people.
Over 27,000 acres have been scorched, 10,000 buildings destroyed and almost 130,000 people displaced since the infernos began on Tuesday, January 7 and quickly spiralled out of control as the fire department admitted containment might not be an issue.
Officials also believe fire hydrants are now out of water as they additionally issue a local health emergency due to ash and other dangerous chemicals in the air because of the situation, with smoke descending across the city.
There have been seven fires in total but that number has fallen to four according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, named Palisades, Eaton, Hurst and Kenneth. Sunset, Woodley and Olivas have been contained.
On a much lesser scale, local sports has been impacted too. The Los Angeles Rams‘ game with the Minnesota Vikings has been moved to Arizona and the Los Angeles Clippersand Lakers have had their games cancelled, as LeBron sends a message of resilience to the community.
“I pray this nightmare ends soon! So many prayers,” James posted to X.com, formerly Twitter with praying emojis and fingers-crossed emojis.
Lakers game with Spurs cancelled
The post comes days after their contest with the San Antonio Spurs just days after their clash with the Charlotte Hornets was cancelled.
Lakers personnel have been directly affected by the blitz, including some of the high-profile names as JJ Redick watched his home burn down. The Golden State Warriors‘ Steve Kerr has also lost his childhood home too.
“We’re heartbroken for Los Angeles,” the Lakers said in a post on X. “Our thoughts are with all those impacted by this unimaginable situation.
“And our gratitude is with the first responders and all of you who come together when we need each other the most. Tonight’s [January 11] game will be rescheduled to focus on what matters most today. We’re with you, L.A.”
