The hot and dry weather in the West creates the perfect conditions for wildfires. One currently burning in central Oregon, the Flat Fire, is threatening nearly 4,000 homes — at least four have been destroyed, officials say. Another wildfire is threatening vineyards in Northern California.
The Pickett Fire, the largest wildfire in the San Francisco Bay Area this year, started on Thursday and has burned about 10 square miles. Even if flames don't reach the orchards, smoke will impact the economic lifeblood of Napa Valley.
More than 2,000 people have been dispatched to fight the fires, according to Cal Fire. They have so far managed to keep homes and businesses from burning, but winery owner Chris Jambois says he's concerned about how often wildfires appear to occur.
"It's obviously alarming to have to go through this so frequently," Jambois told CBS News.
He owns Black Sears Winery, where memories of the Glass Fire are still fresh. The 2020 wildfire destroyed several wineries and more than 1,500 structures in the area.
The Glass Fire covered more than 67,000 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties, about a two two-hour drive north of San Francisco. The Pickett Fire, while smaller at nearly 7,000 acres, has taken a similar path.
Jambois said he learned that even if vineyards are spared from the fire, smoke could still affect the grapes.
"We lost two vintages — 2018 and 2020 — to smoke," Jambois said, referring to the year the grapes were harvested. "Once we made it into wine, it was a bit of a disaster. We ended up having to dump it down the drain ... I mean, it tasted like licking an ashtray."
Meanwhile, much of the western parts of the United States are enduring a relentless heat wave, which contributes to fire activity.
The Flat Fire in Oregon's Jefferson County was at 5% containment as of Monday, according to fire officials. It sparked on Thursday and has burned nearly 22,000 acres, Central Oregon Fire Info said. The wildfire is one of 55 large fires burning across the country, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
A major concern in Napa Valley is how quickly the Pickett Fire grew. Jambois said he doesn't know whether he or his business can keep up.
"If we do end up losing this crop, it'll be three out of the last eight years ... We'll have some serious soul searching to do," he said.
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