A series of wildfires in California have ravaged several regions, forcing thousands to flee their homes and threatening the state’s world-famous vineyards.
But the latest report from firefighters on Tuesday said injuries are currently minimal, and wine grape growers in Northern California are breathing a sigh of relief after one of the wildfires appears to be 40% contained and has escaped the region’s famed wine-growing region.
The blaze, known locally as the Point Fire, broke out Sunday and caused anxiety for well-known wineries and residents of Healdsburg, California, over the Father’s Day holiday, said Lauren Fremont, executive director of the Dry Creek Valley Winegrowers Association. But by Tuesday, there had been no significant damage at wineries, and it felt like a “best-case scenario,” she told USA Today.
“We’ve been really fortunate and for the most part we’ve been spared,” Fremont said.
The blaze destroyed two buildings and injured one person, but firefighters had contained 40 percent of the blaze as of Tuesday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Elsewhere in California, firefighters are battling multiple wildfires, including a massive one just outside Los Angeles that forced more than 1,000 people to evacuate.
The Sonoma-area fires are the latest of several that have directly threatened wine country over the past seven years, and Corey Manning, who owns a winery about a quarter mile from the scene of the most recent fire, said the fires will likely continue given weather and climate conditions.
“It’s a kind of recurrent trauma,” Manning said, explaining how many of the region’s winery owners, staff and emergency responders have come together for post-traumatic counseling through a music therapy program founded by Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen.
High winds and dry conditions fueled multiple wildfires in Southern California on Tuesday, and in New Mexico firefighters struggled to contain a wildfire outside the small town of Ruidoso, where hundreds of buildings were affected.
Fires in wine country affect producers
Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, California, is known for its Zinfandel grapes, some of which are grown on vines that are more than 100 years old, Fremont said. The region also produces excellent Sauvignon Blanc and more than 30 varieties of wine, Fremont said.
Manning’s winery, Chateau Diana, is known for its Chardonnay and Cabaret Sauvignon, he said.
“There’s a big risk. We could lose our home again,” said Manning, who lost her Santa Rosa home in a fire in 2017.
But people are more prepared and aware of the reality than ever before, he said. He also said more growers are planting grapes to harvest before October, when the worst wildfires in history can occur. Chateau Diana planted its Sauvignon Blanc vines this year for early September harvest because “we want to get it done before the wildfire season starts.”
“As fires increase, people are thinking about what vines they’re going to plant in the future,” Manning said. “The decisions you make about what you plant have long-term implications.”
Fremont said the fire had minimal impact on the winery’s grapes on the mountain side of Dry Creek Valley, but only a small portion of the vineyard was burned. The early season, when the grapes were still young, green and firm, helped the winery avoid more serious damage, Fremont said.
The winery escaped unscathed by Tuesday.
Overall, Fremont said emergency crews and the vagaries of nature averted potential catastrophe Sunday night and Monday.
She said the winds shifted Sunday night, allowing firefighters to work quickly to put out the fire and prevent it from spreading to the wineries. In a worst-case scenario, the fire could destroy an entire grape harvest, known as the annual crop, or the smoke could negatively affect the taste of the wine grapes, causing what’s called a smoky taint in the wine produced, Fremont said.
That was averted, she said, adding that the quick and heroic efforts of emergency personnel saved the entire Dry Creek Valley from a situation that could have easily turned into major crisis.
Manning agreed, saying of firefighters and other rescue workers, “On our worst days, they’re there for us.”
One firefighter was injured Monday as emergency responders worked to further contain the blaze. By Tuesday, the blaze, which has burned about 1,200 acres, was 40% contained, according to Cal Fire.
Two fires converge in Ruidoso
Two wildfires that broke out on either side of Ruidoso, New Mexico, earlier this week have engulfed villages on tribal land in southern New Mexico, forcing thousands to evacuate.
New Mexico Forestry Department spokesman George Ducker told CNN this week that the fire is “like a pair of tongs.”
The fire had damaged multiple structures by Monday evening, but it’s unclear how many, according to the New Mexico Department of Forestry.
The Village of Ruidoso is asking residents to leave immediately.
“Please do not gather possessions or attempt to defend your home. Do so now,” the Village of Ruidoso said in a post on X early Tuesday morning.
Wildfire burns 15,000 acres outside Los Angeles
The Post Fire, burning just outside of Los Angeles, is the largest ongoing wildfire in California, having burned an estimated 15,600 acres, according to Cal Fire. The second largest wildfire in California is burning in Colusa County, and has burned 10,000 acres.
The blazes, burning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, are difficult to control because of steep, hard-to-reach terrain, Cal Fire said, and officials said weather conditions are also making it hard to contain the blazes.
Officials have warned that winds could produce thick smoke that could reduce visibility for motorists traveling along Interstate 5, putting critical infrastructure such as power lines, dams and oil pipelines at risk from wildfires.
Contributors: Anthony Robledo and Julia Gomez
