Chargers Move Practices South to Arizona With San Diego County Wildfires Raging

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With wild fires wreaking havoc in San Diego County, the Chargers will head south and spend the week practicing in Arizona at the Cardinals’ facility. And with a home game scheduled against the Houston Texans this Sunday, the team doesn’t even know where or when they’ll be playing.

Yes, these are major alterations to the team’s normal routine, but let’s look at the bigger picture here. Qualcomm Stadium is being used as an evacuation center right now. There are far more pressing issues than playing football when people and families are being taken out of their homes because of a natural disaster. Chargers GM A.J. Smith said that at least 40 members of the organization have been evacuated due to the fires, including RB LaDainian Tomlinson and LB Shawne Merriman.

University of Phoenix Stadium (home of the aforementioned Cards) is hosting an international motorcycle show this weekend which has lead to speculation that the Chargers may have to play their game there Monday. I hate to say this, but I think that’s exactly what will happen. Obviously it’s a day-to-day situation, but I believe a decision will have to be made sometime tomorrow. The Chargers released this statement today:

“Our overwhelming priority now is the safety of our players and staff and their families. Forty members of our organization, including players and staff, have been evacuated from their homes. Due to poor air quality created by local wildfires, the San Diego Chargers will fly to Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday and practice at the Arizona Cardinals’ practice facility on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in preparation for their game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Oct. 28. It is too soon to determine what will happen regarding Sunday’s scheduled game. Our prayers are with everyone who is impacted by this tragedy.”

This is not the first time the Chargers have been faced with this problem. In 2003, fires in San Diego County forced the team to switch an MNF home game against the Miami Dolphins to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ.