The Riviera Country Club, which hosts the prestigious PGA Tour’s annual Genesis Invitational tournament, has been included in a mandatory evacuation zone due to rapidly-spreading wildfires in north-west Los Angeles. The fires began five miles away from Riviera CC in the Pacific Palisades area on Tuesday morning and quickly grew out of control, causing damage to more than 1,200 acres in a matter of hours. Driven by dry conditions and hurricane-force Santa Ana winds of up to 100mph, the blaze engulfed a significant number of buildings and expanded the initial evacuation zone to include Riviera CC.
Due to a change in wind direction on Wednesday, a smoke advisory warning for the Malibu coast was issued, including areas such as Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. Reporters in the area estimated that the fires were moving at a rapid pace, with the potential to cover 2-3 football fields per minute. Videos and photos shared on social media showed the fire’s size and proximity to Riviera, which is scheduled to host multiple prestigious golf events in the coming years.
The 2025 Genesis Invitational is set to take place between February 13-16, with Tiger Woods as the tournament host. Nearly 50,000 people had already evacuated affected areas of California as of January 8, with three separate fires across LA still at 0% containment. More than 300,000 energy customers were left without power, and many schools and businesses were planning temporary closures.
In addition to the Palisades Fire near Riviera, California was also dealing with the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Pasadena, Arcadia, and Sierra Madre, as well as the Hurst Fire in Sylmar. The strong winds were expected to continue into Thursday, making it difficult for emergency services to control the wildfires. Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency and deployed over 1,400 firefighters to address the “unprecedented” blazes.
As of the current reporting, no fatalities had been reported, but there were multiple burn victims, including a 25-year-old female firefighter. The situation remains critical, with the wildfires posing a significant threat to communities and landmarks like Riviera Country Club. The golf course is a symbol of luxury and excellence in the golfing world, hosting various prestigious tournaments and events, making it essential to protect it from the devastating effects of natural disasters like wildfires.
