California wildfires reprogram university football games, including Stanford-Cal

Forest fires in California have caused postponements and postponement of a number of college football games within the state due to dangerous conditions. Until now, three Division I games have either been postponed or resumed on Saturday.

The most notable match is Stanford at Cal, which has been postponed to December 1st.

Air quality in Berkley, California is the main concern. Here is an excerpt from Stanford's official publication:

After extensive consultations with medical and environmental campus experts, the Pac-12 and Stanford conference, Carol Christ, Chancellor of Berkeley, and Sports Director Jim Knowlton concluded that the game should be postponed due to concerns over the health and well-being of students. – Athletes, staff, group and groups of students, and fans.

While the original intent was to wait until Saturday to make a final decision, the current air quality conditions provided by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and forecasts for the weekend indicate that AQI levels are not expected to improve enough. Saturday afternoon. The decision is consistent with the guidelines established by the NCAA Sports Science Institute and the Pac-12 Health and Wellness Council.

With the two teams being too far from Washington, DC and Pac-12 North, rescheduling will not have a significant impact on the division's standings. This is the first time that the Big Game has been postponed for 55 years:

The only years since 1892 when traditional rivalry has not been played out are those of the First World War (1915-18) and the Second World War (1943-1945). The 1963 Big Game was postponed a week after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Other games in California have also been affected.

The Nevada game at San Jose State was extended from two hours to 14 hours. at noon, Paris time, and the UC Davis game at Sacramento State will be held Saturday at the National Stadium of Nevada.

Cal basketball canceled its match against Detroit Mercy scheduled for Thursday night because the air quality index was well over 200, considered "very unhealthy" by the EPA. According to Los Angeles Times, the smoke infiltrated into the pavilion Haas de Cal, which led to the cancellation. San Francisco also postponed their home game against Arizona State.

Earlier in the week, California's air quality was one of the worst in the world.

Here is an overview of Friday afternoon conditions:

And here is more from Vox.com:

The shaded area in brown is where the EPA says that the air is really dangerous. If you live in this area, the EPA recommends that "people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children stay indoors and their activity levels are low," and that the world should avoid any physical activity outside. "

The air quality index in Sacramento is currently at 316. It's dangerous. Breathing that air for a day is pretty much everything. equivalent smoke 14 cigarettes.

The "unhealthy" or "very unhealthy" air is present in a much larger area of ​​northern California, which means that everyone in the air can experience some of the effects of pollution. This area includes the densely populated area of ​​San Francisco Bay.

It is expected that the quality of the air will improve a little better on weekendsbut the situation can change quickly.

Everyone's priority is safety and it's good to see these schools make it a priority. We will update this message with any additional information.