SEATTLE – A wildfire in Northern California has forced the cancelation of the season-opening men's basketball games for Seattle Pacific, which was scheduled to play on Friday and Saturday at a tournament in Chico, California.
 
Whether those games will be made up will be determined at another time.
 
A statement from the host school, Chico State, stated:
"This weekend's Carl's Jr. Mac Martin Invitational men's basketball tournament has been canceled due to the fires burning east of Chico. Our thoughts are with the thousands affected by the fires."
 
The blaze, named the "Camp Fire," originated early Thursday near the town of Pulga, which is on the western edge of the Plumas National Forest. It was heading toward Chico, which is located about 100 miles north of Sacramento.
 
The SPU basketball players and coaches were able to reschedule their return flight and arrived back in Seattle on Thursday night. They are slated to play a pair of home games next weekend, which will now serve as their regular-season openers.
 
Seattle Pacific hosts the four-team Sodexo Classic, Nov. 16-17 at Brougham Pavilion. The Falcons play Westminster next Friday and Azusa Pacific next Saturday, both at 7 p.m.