Westworld and S.W.A.T. Production Shut Down by California Wildfires 

This season of Southern California wildfires continues to be fucking brutal and among the worst the state has ever experienced. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that four recent wildfires forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate and have destroyed hundreds of homes.

Less awful, but notable, is that the fires have caused production of CBS series S.W.A.T. and HBO’s Westworld to shut down temporarily. Both shows are shot near Santa Clarita, in Los Angeles County, where a fire erupted this morning and grew rapidly throughout the day. HBO released a statement on Tuesday that reads, “due to nearby wildfires, Westworld stopped production earlier today and will resume filming as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

The writers of S.W.A.T. also cited safety concerns as the reason for the show’s delayed filming schedule.

To return to the bulk of affected residents, the Times reported on Tuesday that 186,000 people in Ventura County lost power on Tuesday, making it that much more difficult for firefighters to contain the flames.

A major fire also flared up in LA County on Tuesday, and LA mayor Eric Garcetti said that the dry climate and high winds indicate the fire won’t die down for another five days. “It’s a very difficult moment, but we will get through this,” Garcetti said. “We are a resilient city, we are a strong city, we are a capable city.”