Tour of California host city announcement delayed by wildfires

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Wildfires that devastated California this month have caused a delay in the host city announcement for the 2019 Amgen Tour of California, and inspired both organiser AEG and title sponsor Amgen to give sizeable donations to relief efforts.

The original host city announcement was slated for November 14, one week after the deadly Woolsey fire began raging though the region. Nearly 300,000 residents were forced to evacuate in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, where the fire destroyed more than 1,500 buildings. It was fully contained on November 22.

The host city announcement is now expected on December 5.

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AEG, in partnership with the LA Kings, donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross.

"The devastation has severely impacted the entire state of California, including many of our past and upcoming host cities of the Amgen Tour of California," said Kristin Klein, president of the Amgen Tour of California and executive vice president of AEG Sports.

The fire burned in Thousand Oaks, the site of Amgen's headquarters, just days after a gunman killed 12 in a mass-shooting at a club in the town. In response, Amgen donated $500,000 to the fire relief efforts and $250,000 to a victims' fund.

"We're not just a state, but a collection of communities that come together to support each other in time of need, and we are proud to support the relief efforts undertaken by so many of the first responders and the American Red Cross," Klein said.

To support the Red Cross' efforts in California, visit the American Red Cross website.