D-backs game in Oakland threatened by poor air quality from wildfires
Aug 19, 2020, 1:33 PM
A report from an Oakland Athletics reporter said that the Arizona Diamondbacks’ game in Oakland on Wednesday night had a chance to be postponed because of poor air quality.
“It sounds as if the game tonight is still on, but there’s a chance of postponement,” the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported, adding this statement from the A’s: “We are monitoring the air quality and its potential impact on tonight’s game. The health and safety of our players, staff and community is our highest priority.”
This comes as California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over wildfires around the Bay Area.
The D-backs played the A’s in Arizona the last two days but the two teams were set to square off at Oakland Coliseum for two more games on Wednesday and Thursday. Start time for Wednesday’s game was set for 6:40 p.m.
The D-backs haven’t had a postponement since May 5, 2015, the longest active streak in baseball, according to a team spokesperson.
Crews were battling wildfires in the San Francisco Bay Area and thousands of people were under orders to evacuate as dozens of wildfires blazed across the state amid a blistering heat wave now in its second week.
Police and firefighters went door-to-door before dawn Wednesday in a frantic scramble to warn residents to evacuate as fire encroached on Vacaville, a city of about 100,000 between San Francisco and Sacramento. At least 50 structures were destroyed and 50 damaged and four people suffered burn injuries.
Ash and smoke filled the air over San Francisco, which is surrounded by at least five wildfires burning in multiple counties to the north, east and south. The so-called LNU Lightning fire is made up of several fires burning in five counties, including in Vacaville.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
