Fire Forces Cancellations

The wildfire in the Angeles National Forest has forced cancellation of sporting events, venue changes and campus closures at a number of schools in the San Bernardino, Pomona/Walnut and San Gabriel valleys.

For the second day in a row, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a special advisory Thursday, urging people to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in areas affected by the smoke.

Brett Proctor, Alta Loma High athletic director, said all the school’s athletic events this week have been postponed except for the football game tonight against Palmdale, which has been moved to South El Monte High from Chaffey College.

“We have been told that at least for the time being, everywhere south of the 60 freeway has been deemed acceptable air quality,” Proctor said.

Chaffey College canceled all athletic activities this week except for football, which practiced at Fontana Miller High. Chaffey is still scheduled to play Saturday at San Bernardino Valley. Most other area colleges, such as Pomona-Pitzer, Cal Poly Pomona, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Mt. San Antonio, postponed athletic events and canceled or curtailed practices.

Officials at Glendora High were forced to move their football game tonight against San Dimas from Citrus College to Walnut High. The Tartans have been practicing at Hacienda Heights Los Altos High.

The football game tonight between La Verne Bonita and visiting Claremont has been canceled and there will be no makeup game. Claremont Athletic Director Rich Dutton said the team moved its practice to Brea Olinda High on Wednesday.

“As the wind changes direction, the air-quality index changes,” Dutton said. “That’s what makes it so difficult. You can’t predict how things are going to be even 24 hours in advance.”

Two Thursday football games changed sites: Ontario High’s team, which practiced this week in the school’s gym, played Rowland in Rowland Heights instead of at Montclair High. San Bernardino Cajon and Etiwanda played at Cajon High instead of Chaffey College.

Pasadena Muir Coach Ron Mims said his football team, which plays L.A. Loyola tonight at Santa Monica College, hasn’t had a formal practice since Monday.

Glendora St. Lucy’s High canceled all sporting events and practices for the week after shutting down Wednesday. The school hopes to reopen Monday.

Claremont Webb, which was closed Tuesday and Wednesday, is still hoping to play its home football game Saturday against La Verne Lutheran.

La Verne Calvary Baptist’s football game Saturday against visiting Las Vegas Calvary Baptist has been canceled, and the Mount Baldy League cross-country meet postponed Wednesday has been rescheduled for Oct. 1 at Mt. San Antonio College.

While a number of other sports also had contests canceled or postponed, the girls’ volleyball match between visiting San Dimas and Bonita on Tuesday was rescheduled to Oct. 2 because the Bonita gym was being used as an evacuation center.

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Staff writers Bob Rohwer, John Ortega, Eric Stephens and Melanie Neff contributed to this story.