Napa Valley vineyards in the throes of fire

Since Sunday, September 27, the famous Californian vineyards of the Napa Valley, in the southwestern United States, are threatened by a fire called “Glass Fire” which has already burned more than 4,500 hectares.

A rapid spread of the fire

“Since Sunday, the fire has tripled in size,” said California Fire Department Chief Ben Nichols. Every five seconds, one acre of land goes up in smoke.
More than 11,000 residents have had to evacuate their homes to safety while more than 1,000 firefighters, aided by helicopters and water bombers, are fighting the fire.

The California region is experiencing a period of high heat and dry winds. Because of these climatic conditions, other fire outbreaks have appeared, making the mission of the firefighters even more difficult. The Californian authorities claim that the fire is still not contained to this day, but that it is steadily receding.

Vineyards under threat

The terrible images of Château Boswell in flames leave their mark on the spirits. This St Helena estate, which had just celebrated its 40th anniversary, was destroyed on Sunday by one of the secondary fireplaces of the Glass Fire.

There are over 400 vineyards in the Napa Valley. It is currently impossible to know the number of properties affected by the fire.

This is a new blow for this wine-growing region. After the Covid-19 pandemic which has impacted tourism, these fires risk making the economic recovery of these numerous castles even more difficult.

Juliette Hirschy