DALLAS (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick said members of his family were among those in Southern California who had to evacuate their homes Tuesday because of a wildfire caused by high winds around Los Angeles.
The fire ripped through a Los Angeles hillside where Redick lives with other celebrities, torching homes in Pacific Palisades and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
Before the Lakers took on the Mavericks in Dallas, Redick acknowledged the severity of the situation affecting his family and neighbors.
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“I just want to acknowledge and send thoughts and prayers to everyone in the Palisades at this time,” Redick said prior to the Lakers' 118-97 loss to the Mavericks. “That's where I live.
“Our family, my wife's family, my wife's twin sister, they've been evacuated. I know a lot of people are panicking right now, including my family. From the sound of things and the coming wind (Tuesday evening) I know that many people are afraid. So I just want to acknowledge that. Thoughts and prayers for sure, and I hope everyone stays safe.
TNT reported in its broadcast that the Lakers' flight back to Los Angeles would be delayed. However, the team said the flight was still scheduled for Tuesday evening, despite the possibility of smoke clouds in the LA area forcing alternate routes.
Officials did not provide an exact number of buildings damaged or destroyed in the Pacific Palisades wildfire, but they said about 30,000 residents were under evacuation orders and more than 13,000 buildings were threatened.
The fire started around 10:30 a.m., shortly after the start of a storm in Santa Ana that the National Weather Service said could be “life-threatening” and the strongest to hit Southern California in more than a decade. The exact cause of the fire is unknown and no injuries were reported, officials said.
Winds were expected to increase overnight and last for days, producing isolated gusts that could reach speeds of 100 miles per hour in the mountains and foothills, including in areas that have not seen substantial rain for months .
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
