CA Fires in Wine Country
The Kincade fire burning in northern California’s wine country is devastating to growers and for some it will mean a loss of generations of work.
The Kincade blaze began last Wednesday night in Geyserville, about 75 miles northwest of San Francisco. Nearly 100 structures have been destroyed, including the historic Soda Rock Winery.
California Ag Today’s Patrick Cavanaugh is following the fast changing conditions.
Cavanaugh: “Some of these growers got in and hand harvested as fast they could before the smoke got in the area. But there are pockets of vineyards up in the hillside areas that could be affected. Family legacy vineyards that have been around for a hundred years. Some of those vines have been in the ground for 40, 50 years. Some of those vines are going to get burned it looks like if this fire gets down too far into that area.”
Cavanaugh says that while the bulk of California’s grapes have been harvested there are some last harvest varieties that are also at risk for smoke damage if they survive the blaze.
Cal Fire officials said Monday that the fire was just 5 percent contained and is expected to burn for at least another week and a half. Another round of strong, gusty, and dry offshore winds beginning midday Tuesday and lasting into Wednesday morning are forecasted.
