The Critics Choice Awards were postponed, Hollywood studios suspended production and movie premieres were canceled Wednesday as wildfires raged around Los Angeles and drove thousands of people from their homes.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences extended its voting window for the Oscars and postponed the nominations announcement that had previously been scheduled for early next week.
The nominations will now be announced Jan. 19 instead of next Tuesday, the Academy said.
Cancellations and closures abounded as the situation remained dire. Instead of its original date of this Sunday, the 30th Annual Critics Choice Awards were rescheduled to Jan. 26.
Friday’s planned American Film Institute Awards Luncheon, a normally star-studded event honoring the year’s 10 best movies and TV shows, was also postponed, while the annual BAFTA Tea Party celebrating British Academy Film Awards nominees was nixed altogether. The latter event was to be held Saturday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Screenings and at least one sporting event were also scrapped because of the fires. The NHL canceled a game between the Calgary Flames and the L.A. Kings that had been scheduled for Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Premieres were canceled or postponed for “Unstoppable,” “Wolf Man,” “Better Man” and “The Pitt,” among several others.
Production was suspended on numerous scripted TV series and late-night shows as studios in and around Hollywood were shut down for the day or shuttered early on Wednesday.
Tourist attractions also closed, including Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal CityWalk and Six Flags Magic Mountain, due to extreme winds and fire conditions.
At least five people have died, roughly 1,000 structures have been destroyed and tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate as multiple fires menace the L.A. area and encroach on its suburbs.
The biggest by far was still the Palisades Fire west of Los Angeles, which by Wednesday afternoon had burned nearly 16,000 acres, the most destructive blaze in the city’s history.
With News Wire Services
