Breaking News: Napa and Sonoma Wildfires Threaten 2020 Harvest

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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Smoke and flames loomed over vineyards in Healdsburg on Thursday. Napa and Sonoma Wildfires Threaten 2020 Harvest Vintners are trying to schedule picking while wondering if they'll be forced to evacuate California wine regions faced another nerve-wracking night as several massive wildfires burned across the state, threatening homes, wineries and vineyards. The LNU Lightning Complex fire continued to grow, spreading through Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Solano counties. The latest report from Cal Fire, the state fire agency, said more than 219,000 acres had burned as of Friday morning. There are five confirmed fatalities so far in what has been a weeklong battle by firefighters to contain the flames. Meanwhile, vintners are trying to harvest. A heat wave has ripened grapes and growers already had picks scheduled. Vintners in evacuation zones are keeping limited crews in their wineries to monitor fermentations, wondering if the power will stay on and if they'll have to leave. And smoke blankets the region.   Click here for Wine Spectator's continuing coverage, including updates from winemakers and grapegrowers in the threatened areas.   Wildfires Erupt in California Wine Country Blazes in Napa, Sonoma, Santa Cruz and Santa Lucia burn out of control, threatening wineries, vineyards and thousands of homes. Understanding Smoke Taint As California winemakers face the immediate effects of devastating fires, the threat of smoke taint is a slow burn. Learn more. Want to stay on top of important wine stories? Sign up for our Wine Intel and News Alerts. Follow Wine Spectator Sign up for our newsletters! Sips & Tips • Unfiltered • Healthy Living • Ratings Flash • Video Theater • Collecting • Private Guide to Dining • Breaking News and Wine Intel Learn how we choose our newsletter content For newsletter-specific questions, please send a message to our newsletter editors For other questions about Wine Spectator, visit help.winespectator.com

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