NBA postpones Los Angeles Lakers-Charlotte Hornets game due to wildfires in LA area

Thursday night's contest between the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets has officially been postponed due to the raging wildfires in the Los Angeles area. The NBA announced the decision Thursday afternoon, hours before the game was supposed to tip-off.

"The National Basketball Association game scheduled for tonight between the Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena has been postponed due to ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area," the NBA said in its statement Thursday. They did not offer a new date for the game to be replayed, claiming that it would be announced at a "later date."

There are at least five active fires in Los Angeles County and the ongoing struggle to contain the flames has inflicted significant damage. more than 100,000 people in the region have been forced to flee their homes. At least five people are dead and thousands of homes, businesses and even iconic Hollywood landmarks are either threatened, damaged or already destroyed by what Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called a "firestorm" during a late Wednesday night briefing. Authorities warned more injuries and death are possible until the fires can be contained.

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Why was the game postponed?

The fire in the Pacific Palisades continues to ravage the neighborhood, and additional fires have also cropped up in the Los Angeles area. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said it was too early to provide a death toll. He said almost 180,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, and another 200,000 face evacuation warningsThe fire has directly affected several members of the NBA community as well, including Lakers' head coach JJ Redick, who lost his home.

This decision comes a day after Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard decided to step away from the team in order to help his family members who had been forced to evacuate their homes due to the fires as well. While the Clippers were not scheduled to play at home until Saturday, the Lakers were about to embark on a five-game home stand beginning Thursday night and running through Friday, Jan. 17. It is unclear how many, if any more will be postponed due to the fires.

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Will the fire subside soon?

PBS reports that firefighters were able to slow the spread of the latest fire. However, the fire is still considered out of control. Thursday morning, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said, "While we are still facing significant threats, I am hopeful that the tide is turning."

Wind gusts still pose a significant threat to Los Angeles and the fire crews attempting to stop the blaze, but the recent fights against the inferno have proved promising. The estimated damage to Los Angeles due to the fires is still being calculated, but NBC believes the total economic loss could tally over $50 billion.

Contributing: Mark Giannotto

For the latest on the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, click here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA postpones Lakers vs Hornets game tonight for Los Angeles wildfires