The NFL has officially moved Monday's wild-card round matchup between the Rams and Vikings from SoFi Stadium in California to State Farm Stadium in Arizona.
The move comes as wildfires continue to wreak havoc in Los Angeles County, burning 30,000 acres and mass exodus of people.
The league announced Wednesday that it is monitoring the situation and the Cardinals' home base will serve as an alternate venue if needed.
The league said in a statement Thursday that the decision was made “in the interest of public safety” and “in consultation with public officials, participating clubs and the NFLPA.”
This move marks the second time in NFL history that the league has changed the venue for a playoff game, with the 1936 championship game between the Boston Redskins and Green Bay Packers being moved to Boston's Fenway Park due to slow ticket sales. The name was changed to New York's Polo Grounds.
The decision was made shortly after the Rams' practice Thursday, when smoke billowed just outside the Woodland Hills facility.
The team also allowed players to skip required reporting duties to allow players to return home after a new fire broke out in the West Hills area of Southern California. NFL Network reported.
“Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by these fires,” Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters Thursday. “This is one of those deals that almost feels surreal, but it's certainly real for the people affected. We hope as many people as possible are safe, but it's hard to see how many people will be affected. It's just one of those deals where you get perspective. I hope they can get this under control. It's been a unique week.
“Fortunately for us, some people were affected by the power outage and were advised to evacuate. Some of our staff had their homes damaged. But fortunately, to the best of my knowledge, There were no injuries, and we are grateful for that.”
NBA and NHL games in the Los Angeles area were also affected by the wildfires.
Wednesday's game between the Kings and Flames has been postponed, as has Thursday's game between the Lakers and the Hornets at Crypto.com Arena.
