NAPA/SONOMA, CA—Several fires continue to burn in and around the Napa Valley and Sonoma County, primarily in the surrounding hillsides. The weather forecast for the next 24 to 36 hours calls for increased winds and decreased humidity so the situation remains critical and subject to change.
In addition to the heartbreaking loss of life and homes in both Napa and Sonoma counties, the wine industry is attempting to assess what impact will be felt once the fires are finally extinguished. With the wildfires remaining a situation in flux and evacuations orders still in place, many people continue to be without power and cell phone reception, making communications difficult.
Growers are assessing how the fires might affect the 2017 harvest and the wine industry specifically, but is too early to estimate the economic impact of the fires. However, it is estimated that 90% of the grapes were picked before the fires started on Sunday night. Napa Valley wineries able to assemble crews and safely get to vineyards are continuing to harvest grapes, GlobeSt.com learns. Many wineries have emergency generators, which has helped maintain production capabilities.
What is known is that of the grapes remaining on the vine, it is almost all Cabernet Sauvignon. The winemakers report that this thick-skinned variety, fully developed and ready to be picked for the 2017 harvest, is not expected to be impacted by the smoke from the fires.
The Sonoma County Winegrowers association also indicated that it is assessing damage to the grapes still on the vines.
“It has been a devastating fire. Reports of fire damage to wineries, businesses and homes continues to grow. While 90% of the winegrapes have been harvested, there were still grapes in the vineyards that were scheduled to be picked in the next 10 days. At this time we have no information on specific crop damage,” says Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers. “Our top priority right now is the health and safety of our first responders, families, employees, volunteers and everyone impacted by these wildfires. We are continuing to closely monitor the situation.”
In addition, Federal Emergency Management Agency/FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to assist California to combat the fires burning in five California counties. At the time of the fund requests, the fires threatened homes, businesses and schools. Critical infrastructure threatened included water and sewer treatment facilities, a fiber-optic trunk facility and electric transmission lines. The FEMA regional administrator determined the fires threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.
Fire Management Assistance Grants provide federal funding for up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs. The Disaster Relief Fund provides funding for grants through FEMA to assist in fighting fires. Eligible costs covered by grants can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization, and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire.
With growing fire threats, firefighting operations and evacuations underway, FEMA activated its regional response coordination center in Oakland, CA to ensure effective support to California, local and tribal emergency management officials.
FEMA has also deployed an incident management assistance team to coordinate directly with the California governor's office of emergency services at the state emergency operations center in Sacramento.
Meanwhile, firefighters and other first responders remain tirelessly at work, and the efforts of these heroes are very much appreciated.
The Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund, which the Napa Valley Vintners established in 2014 immediately following the South Napa earthquake, has been reactivated. Those wishing to make donations can contribute via the Community Foundation of Napa Valley or Napa Valley Vintners.
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Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown is an editor for the south and west regions of GlobeSt.com. She has 25-plus years of real estate experience, with a regional PR role at Grubb & Ellis and a national communications position at MMI. Brown also spent 10 years as executive director at NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area chapter, where she led the organization to achieving its first national award honors and recognition on Capitol Hill. She has written extensively on commercial real estate topics and edited numerous pieces on the subject.
