The Eaton Fire is raging in the Angeles National Forest, Altadena, and Pasadena, destroying about 10,600 acres. As per LACoFD Chief Anthony Marrone on Wednesday morning, over 100 structures were destroyed because of the wildfire. But by evening, Pasadena Fire Department Chief Chad Augustin stated that 200-500 buildings had been ruined.

Riviera, the home of Genesis Invitational, and majors in coming years, is at risk as the iconic venue is one stands in the path of the wildfire.  However, another Golf Course has already been ruined: Altadena Golf Course in Southern California.

Located just under five miles from the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium, Altadena Golf Course shared a heartbreaking Instagram post on Wednesday. They announced: 

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of Altadena Golf Course. During this time we’re focused on supporting our community, employees, and everyone affected by this tragic event. We extend our deepest gratitude to the brave firefighters, first responders, and volunteers who are working through this.”

Several other pages reported more statements: “We are sorry to say that the Altadena Golf Course Clubhouse did not survive the fire. We will come back stronger.”

This nine-hole course, which opened back in 1910, was caught up in the Eaton Fire. And unfortunately, it’s not just this course suffering.

In the last 24 hours alone, the wildfires have caused widespread damage across California. Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed that his family had to evacuate their home, and the Los Angeles Kings game against the Calgary Flames, scheduled to be played at Crypto.com Arena, was postponed due to the fires. 

On Wednesday, President Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom met with firefighting officials to get an update on the situation. While no questions were taken from the press, Newsom thanked the president for federal support, and the National Guard was called in to help. FEMA is stepping in to cover some of the costs, and nearly 100 schools in the area have been closed. Tragically, five people have lost their lives, according to several reports. Several firefighters and civilians have also been injured.

Just last year, Canada’s top-rated Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge was hit by a fire and the Golf Course got damaged, and the year before, a forest fire in Australia took out the clubhouse at Greg Norman’s Eastern Golf Club. Even Augusta National wasn’t spared when Hurricane Helene caused damage just a few months ago. Now, with Riviera Club also in the news for similar reasons, it’s starting to feel like a tragic trend we really wish would stop.

What is the current status of the Riviera Country Club?

The Riviera Country Club is currently in the mandatory evacuation zone due to the Pacific Palisades fire. On a more positive note, a reporter at this week’s Sony Open in Honolulu mentioned that as of Wednesday afternoon, Riviera hadn’t been damaged by the fires yet. At that time, the fire was still zero percent contained, which means everyone was still holding their breath.

The latest update says that there has been a water shortage as well, which is making containing the fire even more difficult.

Riviera, which was established in 1926 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, has long been a staple of the golf world, hosting a PGA Tour event every year since 1973 (except 1983 and 1998). Tiger Woods was scheduled to play at the venue Feb. 13-16 this year as a part of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational.

It has also hosted the Los Angeles Open multiple times, the 1948 U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship in both 1983 and 1995. Looking ahead, the course is set to host some big events, including the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2028 Summer Olympics, and the 2031 U.S. Open.

Golfer Keegan Bradley shared his thoughts, “It’s sad because I played with four guys from LA today, and they’re stressed out. Their families had to evacuate, and their homes could be gone. It’s sad.”

Let’s hope this beloved course makes it through the fire unscathed and continues to be a center for golf in the years to come.