California Wildfires Impacting Wine Industry

Wildfires have ravaged California wine country, with more threats yet to come.  Crews are fighting 17 wildfires that destroyed at least 1,500 homes.  As of Tuesday, flames had burned more than 73,000 acres in Northern California, nearly all of those in Sonoma and Napa counties, the heartland of the state’s wine industry.  There are more than 100,000 acres of wine grapes planted in the two counties, which are home to more than 650 wineries.

Witness accounts suggested that damage to the wine industry could be significant, especially if the fires continue to burn in the days ahead.  About 13% of California’s wines are made in the two counties, and the Wine Institute estimates that the industry generates more than $55 billion in economic activity in California, and twice as much nationally, each year.

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