The fire ravaging parts of California wine country threatens the region's $1 billion agriculture industry
Getty Images
The fires in Napa and Sonoma counties have killed at least 10 people and destroyed more than 1,500 homes and businesses, the Los Angeles Times reported. More than 100 people have reportedly checked into local hospitals for fire-related injuries or health issues, like burns, smoke inhalation, and shortness of breath, according to CNN.
The disaster has burned more than 119,000 acres, including some the area's scenic farms, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Many ranchers and farmers - along with their dairy cows, chickens, sheep, and goats - have evacuated or are preparing to leave due to the fires.
The effects on the local agriculture industry could be catastrophic.
According to the 2016 Sonoma County Crop Report, the value of the county's agriculture came close to $900 million last year, with wine grapes accounting for more than half of that total. Livestock and poultry accounted for $178 million - Sonoma County farms house 30,000 dairy cows and 35,000 sheep and goats. The area is also home to an estimated 3,000 to 9,000 medical cannabis farmers.
The fires will likely impact wine production in Northern California. The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports that although farmers have already picked 75% of the region's grapes, most of the cabernet sauvignon and merlot crops were still on the vines when the fires started.
Moving livestock in the affected areas has been no easy task.
The Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa and the Sebastopol Grange in Sebastopol recently announced that they are accepting evacuated livestock. Some ranchers are employing backup generators so that animals can still get water if farmers aren't on hand and the power goes out. Many are also covering the highly flammable hay and only opening select gates so that livestock won't get trapped if a fire comes.
On Monday, Carleen Weirauch of Weirauch Farm & Creamery in Santa Rosa posted a photo on Facebook showing flames raging behind her herd.
"Lord please keep my animals safe," she wrote.
- US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Russia's ally costing on average less than $20,000 each, report says
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- Markets rebound in early trade amid global rally, buying in ICICI Bank and Reliance
- Women in Leadership
- Rupee declines 5 paise to 83.43 against US dollar in early trade
- Election Commission issues notification for sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls
- 6 Coffee recipes you should try this summer
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market