(Photo : Riot Games, CHRIS DELMAS, AFP / Screenshot taken from Getty Images)
Riot Games temporarily closed its Los Angeles County office amid the ongoing LA fires that burn in the Palisades and other regions.
The "League of Legends" developer also said that it will only allow staff who are associated with "critical functions" to enter the headquarters, at least through the end of the week. Additionally, the studio said that it is ready to "stand up for Los Angeles" and provide assistance.
Los Angeles Fires
Out of the many different fires that broke out recently in LA this week, the Palisades fire is considered the biggest. It has already burned through more than 15,000 acres in the region and was responsible for the death of at least five people so far and the destruction of thousands of buildings.
This particular fire was also closest to downtown Santa Monica, where tens of thousands of residents are housed along with hundreds of businesses. These include several major video game studios and companies, according to Kotaku.
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On top of Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, Santa Monica Studio, and Naughty Dog have offices located within a few miles of the Palisades Fire. A spokesperson for Activision said that their current priority is the safety and well-being of their employees.
The studio said that they were actively monitoring the situation, contacted the employees who were closest to the impact areas, and confirmed their safety. The company also provided resources to affected individuals.
Riot Games' Support
The LA fires have already forced more than 100,000 people to evacuate as heavy winds pushed the blaze to spread across the region. Riot Games CEO Dylan Jadeja wrote on LinkedIn on Thursday encouraging workers to prioritize themselves and their colleagues, Polygon said.
Jadeja added that the studio would try to "give back in every way we can to all of these communities" when the immediate danger of the fires passed. This comes as firefighters work to take control of the spreading wildfires, and the largest remains 0% contained as of Thursday.
The Riot Games CEO also said that there were no words to acknowledge the pain and suffering that is being caused by the LA fires. He added that it was too early for anyone to actually know what will be needed or what can be done in the aftermath of the situation.
On top of the Palisades Fire, the Hurst Fire in the San Fernando Valley has spread to more than 600 acres, while the Easton Fire has engulfed more than 10,000 acres, according to PCGamer.
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