Sports

Los Angeles Fire Covers Dodger Stadium In Thick Blanket Of Dangerous Smoke Right Before MLB Game

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Dodger Stadium Boyle Heights Fire Smoke Los Angeles MLB Sky Haze Dangerous
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Dodger Stadium will host the rubber match between the Dodgers and Orioles odespite a thick blanket of smoke from a nearby fire in Boyle Heights region of Los Angeles. Governor Gavin Newson declared a state of emergency but the game must go on!

Players, coaches and fans must be weary of the hazardous haze.

Fortunately, it appeared as though conditions were improving at the iconic MLB stadium as first pitch neared closer. Unfortunately, one small shift in the direction of the wind could create a much bigger issue in only a matter of minutes.

A warehouse fire in Boyle Heights sent smoke into the Los Angeles sky.

The inferno started shortly before 2:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday at a cold storage facility in the 1400 block of South Los Palos Street in Boyle Heights. This is day five of the fire, which the Los Angeles Fire Department described as “very complex” with numerous hazards for firefighters. As of this writing, the cause remains unknown. However, the Lineage company at the center of the ongoing investigation released the following statement on Thursday:

“Lineage’s top priority is the health and safety of our employees, partners, and the communities in which we live and operate. We are deeply grateful to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) for their rapid response, professionalism, and continued support in protecting the community.

“LAFD hazmat specialists continue to monitor air quality in the structure and immediate area. Importantly, there are no known ammonia readings from air monitoring reported at this time. We are also encouraged that our employees were safely evacuated and there are no reported injuries. We are working closely with local officials and first responder teams to assess the situation and provide support.”

A shelter-in-place order was issued for nearby residents on Thursday. Governor Gavin Newson and mayor Karen Bass issued a state of emergency on Saturday.

Firefighters are working around the clock to keep the flames contained.

QRF continues to deliver aerial drops in support of LAFD.

Air quality concerns remain as the fire continues to smolder. Smoke has clouded the Los Angeles skyline.

The biggest issue is that there is not a lot of wind and zero atmospheric mixing. As a result, the smog just sits.

Dodger Stadium is covered in smoke.

Boyle Heights is located less than five miles from Chavez Ravine, which is best known as the site of Dodger Stadium. The nearby smoke has drifted over to the famous Major League Baseball park. It is cloaked in a nasty acrid haze.

The Dodgers are supposed to play the Orioles at 1:10 p.m. local time on Sunday. MLB expects the game to be played as scheduled despite the air quality concerns. The current air quality reading hovers around 175 AQI. For reference, the Yankees only postponed a game when the AQI reached into the 400s due to smoke from Canadian wildfires.

Baseball will be played on Father’s Day in Los Angeles. Fans are already in their seats.

And yet, the smoke still lingers.

It will be interesting to see whether these two MLB clubs get through all nine innings. One shift in the wind could lead to unplayable conditions.