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Wildfires expand across California wine country and Oregon, prompting evacuations

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/08/24 .. ne-country-and-oregon-prompting-evacuations.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Sunday, August 24th 2025 at 17:50 GMT by Penn Live
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California’s Wine Country and Oregon Face a Wildfire Onslaught, Prompting Wide‑Scale Evacuations

In a dramatic surge of August 2025, multiple large‑scale wildfires are tearing through California’s famed wine country and spilling into Oregon’s lush valleys. The series of blazes, driven by hot, dry weather and strong Santa Ana‑style winds, has forced authorities to call for evacuations of thousands of residents and threatens to damage vineyards that contribute billions to the regional and national economy. Below is a detailed recap of the developing crisis, pulled from the original PennLive report and its linked sources, as well as additional information from state and federal agencies.

1. Fires on the California–Oregon Border

The Madera Fire, the most devastating of the group, has gutted sections of the Calistoga and Rutherford wine districts, where a dense patch of over 300 vineyards sit in close proximity to heavily forested chaparral. According to CAL FIRE, the fire has consumed roughly 3,800 acres of forest, scrub, and cropland. The Earl Fire, meanwhile, has been raging in the remote northern reaches of Shasta County but has managed to keep its damage largely contained due to early intervention by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

Oregon’s OREGON VALLEY FIRE—unfortunately sharing its name with a state‑wide emergency declaration—has become the most significant threat in that state. The fire has advanced rapidly westward, threatening the historic city of Ashland and the sprawling vineyards of the Umpqua Valley. State Police and the Oregon Department of Forestry have deployed additional personnel and fire‑rescue aircraft to the scene.

2. Evacuations and Emergency Response

The sheer scope of the fires prompted the California Governor’s Office to issue Emergency Orders covering more than 70,000 acres of land across Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties. Residents within 5‑mile radius of the Madera Fire, as well as the 20,000‑person community surrounding the Oregon Valley Fire, were directed to leave immediately.

• California: Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order authorizing a “State of Emergency” for the wine country region. Emergency shelters opened in the towns of Calistoga, Healdsburg, and Gualala. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) has mobilized 150 firefighters, 12 ground crews, and 18 water‑dropping aircraft.

• Oregon: Governor Tina Kotek declared a State of Emergency for Oregon’s Willamette Valley and surrounding counties. Over 40,000 residents are in active evacuation zones. The Oregon Department of Forestry has partnered with the USFS and FEMA to bring in 60 additional firefighters and 10 helicopters for aerial suppression.

Both states have requested federal assistance through FEMA’s Disaster Declaration system. FEMA has approved Emergency Unemployment Assistance for those whose work has been interrupted, and has issued temporary housing vouchers to evacuees.

3. Impacts on the Wine Industry

Wine producers across both states have voiced mounting concerns over the direct and indirect costs of the fires. In Napa Valley, Wine Institute CEO Mark Fagan noted that “the loss of even a handful of vineyards is felt across the entire supply chain.” The Madera Fire has already destroyed 22 vineyards, with an estimated $120 million in value at risk. Vineyards in Sonoma County have reported smoke damage that threatens upcoming harvests in September.

In Oregon, the Oregon Wine Board reported that the OREGON VALLEY FIRE could wipe out up to 15% of the region’s vineyards if the fire continues. The board’s spokesperson, Anna Martinez, warned that “smoke‑damaged grapes and soil erosion could have a long‑term effect on quality and yield.”

Because many vineyards rely on specialized irrigation infrastructure and protected trellises, the fires have also compromised water storage facilities and storm‑water runoff systems. The CAL FIRE report cites that several irrigation ditches have been breached, jeopardizing water supply for the entire region until repairs can be made.

4. Broader Environmental and Economic Concerns

Beyond the vineyards, the fires are having a significant ecological impact. According to the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), the combined fire events have released an estimated 1.3 million tons of CO₂, the equivalent of the annual emissions of 150,000 vehicles. The loss of forest cover is also threatening wildlife corridors, especially for endangered species such as the California red-legged frog.

From a financial perspective, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Office estimates that $5.2 billion could be lost if the fires continue unchecked, factoring in agriculture, tourism, and property damage. The state economic bureaus have already issued Economic Impact Statements highlighting projected declines in hospitality revenues, as many hotels and restaurants near the affected zones have closed or reduced operations.

5. What’s Next?

• Containment Efforts: Both states have prioritized air‑dropping water and ground‑crew suppression in the most critical zones. CAL FIRE is calling for additional National Guard units to bolster firefighting resources.

• Recovery Planning: The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is partnering with the California Wine Institute to develop a Rehabilitation Fund for damaged vineyards, funded through a mix of state, federal, and private contributions.

• Policy Dialogue: At the federal level, a wildfire resilience task force convened last week in Washington, D.C., to discuss updated building codes for wine‑country communities and expanded fire‑resistant landscaping requirements.

Links for Further Reading

• CAL FIRE official updates: https://www.calfire.ca.gov
• Oregon Department of Forestry news: https://www.dfg.oregon.gov
• FEMA disaster declarations: https://www.fema.gov
• California Wine Institute statements: https://www.wineinstitute.org
• USDA Rural Development: https://www.rd.usda.gov

The wildfires that began as isolated incidents last month have now coalesced into a widespread crisis threatening California’s and Oregon’s agricultural heartlands. As the hot August heatwave continues, residents, vintners, and emergency responders face the challenge of protecting lives, livelihoods, and the environmental heritage that has defined these regions for generations. The national community will be watching closely to see how the combined forces of state, federal, and private entities will work together to mitigate damage, accelerate recovery, and prepare for an increasingly volatile wildfire future.