Wildfire Crisis: Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley Faces New Blaze

More than 1,100 acres have burned in a fast-moving blaze threatening wineries and vineyards in the northwestern Sonoma region

Stoked by warm temperatures and windy conditions, several wildfires broke out in California over the weekend, including one in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley, northwest of Healdsburg. The Point Fire ignited on the eastern shores of Lake Sonoma the afternoon of June 16 and quickly spread, nearing wineries and vineyards along West Dry Creek Road. As of June 17, more than 1,100 acres have burned. Containment is at 20 percent, according to state fire authority Cal Fire.

“It was a scary day yesterday,” said Ken Blair, sales director at Preston Farm and Winery, which sits less than 5 miles from the lake. “The wind really whipped the fire up. Firefighters have done a great job of protecting life and property. The fire has stayed to the west of the valley and they’ve got it surrounded. Things do look better, but it’s supposed to be another windy day today.”

Though most of the area currently burning is rural, the fire has destroyed six structures, and approximately 400 residents have evacuated, with thousands more on alert. Several wineries, including Preston, Hawley and Quivira, are in the mandatory evacuation zone, with the rest of the valley’s western edge under an evacuation warning, meaning residents should be ready to go. The most active blazes appear to be near the lake in predominantly uninhabited areas. But if the fire were to spread further into the valley, numerous homes would be at risk.

“While we can still get in [for now] to feed animals, checkpoints are tightly controlled and monitored. All our employees are thankfully safe, though,” said Quivira winemaker Hugh Chappelle. He also noted that the winery is without power. “One big concern for us is irrigation of some just-grafted vines that are still very young and need more frequent watering. Without power, our irrigation pumps can’t provide water, and our rental generators are not available and installed yet.”

Chappelle said the vines had just completed flowering, and they are still determining the potential for smoke taint risk at this early stage. He hopes ETS Labs, a leading industry source for smoke research and information, will issue an update with recommendations.

The potential for the fire to spread further will continue as temperatures remain in the mid- to high 80s, with low humidity expected over the next few days. However, the persistent winds of up to 30 miles per hour are forecasted to subside tomorrow.

According to Cal Fire, the state is not currently experiencing drought conditions. A wet winter and several spring storms have helped temper the fire risk. Still, transitioning sea surface temperatures could result in drier weather, and that risk may increase over the coming months as summer temperatures continue to rise and vegetation dries out. The early round of wildfires could be a warning of a challenging summer ahead.

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