Lakers Cancel Utah Game in San Diego Due To Fires

More than half a million people have been forced to leave their homes in the biggest mass evacuation in California`s modern history.

The Los Angeles Lakers have cancelled Thursday's pre-season game against the Utah Jazz in San Diego because of the wildfires that have raged across Southern California this week.

More than half a million people have been forced to leave their homes in the biggest mass evacuation in California's modern history, with nearly 1,500 homes already lost in San Diego county.

"There is simply too much devastation in the area and too much uncertainty about what will happen in the next few days," Tim Harris, senior vice-president of business operations for the Lakers, said in a statement on Wednesday.

"After many internal discussions about many different factors we've concluded this is simply the right thing to do. The people of San Diego have been very supportive of us over the years and in turn we want to be supportive of them in this time of crisis."

The Lakers, who lost 102-81 to Utah in an exhibition game in Anaheim, California on Tuesday, plan to donate $100,000 to the American Red Cross to help wildfire relief efforts.

The Los Angeles-based team launch their 2007-08 regular season by hosting the Houston Rockets at the Staples Center on Tuesday.