California Ag Network

Tag: Northern California Wildfires

  • Autumn Wildfire Set UP Research on ‘Smoke Taint’ in Wine

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (April 12, 2018) – With the value of wine riding on a delicate balance of aroma and flavor, the impact of winegrapes’ exposure to smoke from a wildfire could have significant economic consequences. Last fall’s Northern California wildfires sent smoke wafting over an experimental vineyard in Napa Valley, giving scientists the opportunity to study the interplay of smoke and wine quality, reported Jeff Quackenbush in the North Bay Business Journal.

    “The moment the smoke started, my phone started ringing off the hook,” said Anita Olberholster, UC Cooperative Extension viticulture and enology specialist. “I quickly realized how thin the data is I need to base recommendations on.”

    The fires near the UC Davis vineyard provided the perfect experimental platform. Olberholster and her research team sprang into action to start a research project on the fly. Remaining grapes on smoke-exposed vines were picked, loads of commercially grown grapes deemed too questionable for commercial wineries were accepted. Over the past five months, small batches of wine were made from the grapes.

    “They all have different levels of smoky character,” Olberholster said. “Some on the nose are actually quite pleasant and not smoky, but the aftertaste is the problem. All of them, even if in small amounts, had that ‘old smoke,’ ‘ashtray,’ ‘new smoke’ aftertaste. It all depends on how sensitive you’re going to be at it.”

    The scientists are now looking for a process that will remove the smoky compounds, as little as possible of anything else.

  • Behind The Scenes

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (February 28, 2018) – Everyone remembers those dreaded days of the firestorm of October, 2017. All of the brave, determined firefighters from so many places, Law Enforcement that came to help keep things safe, Army National Guard, Santa Rosa Police Department and last but not least, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.

    The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, SCSO, played a huge part in saving residents, searching for missing persons, keeping areas secured and putting out updates on a regular basis and as they occurred. The SCSO was out and about 24/7 running 12 hour shifts with 2 Deputies per Patrol Car. Even though a few of these fine men and women had lost their homes to the dreaded firestorm, they were out and about doing their jobs in helping the citizens of Sonoma County.

    What you didn’t hear about was the support group behind the scenes of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. When you have a great team out taking care of Sonoma County, then it just stands to reason you would have a great team supporting them. All non-sworn personnel such as, the Community Services Officers (CSO), office workers, Secretaries, Department Analysts, Accountants, Storekeepers, Legal Processors and the Volunteer Force, Volunteers In Policing (VIP). All of these folks came together and also worked 24/7 running 12 hour shifts.

    The dedication, hard work and “let’s take care of these folks” attitude was second to none. These fine men and women worked tirelessly in support of the deputies, outside Law Enforcement agencies and the Army National Guard. Not only did the support group furnish food, water, facemasks and other items of health aids to the SCSO staff, they also furnished the same items to the Command Center; staging area for outside Law Enforcement agencies, Army National Guard, Search and Rescue team and the Main Adult Detention Facility Jail.

    The Support Group took care of all supplies that were delivered such as pallets of Gatorade, water and sodas, paper plates, plasticware, snacks of all sorts and countless other items. The supplies that couldn’t be delivered were picked up by the Support Group. The task was like supplying a small army.

    The Support Group made sure there was plenty of hot, fresh food available for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for everyone. The Support Group also made deliveries to outlying areas to make sure the patrol personnel that were watching the evacuated neighborhoods had plenty of drinks and food.

    The support group made countless runs to the MADF for ice to keep the 40 something coolers well chilled. The harder these folks worked, the happier they became. What a pleasant place for the tired Law Enforcement people when they returned for the shift change. Together it made it easier for everyone to return to a tough job at hand day in and day out.

    Every day the support staff would check all of the patrol vehicles to ensure they had the emergency equipment that was needed such as, fully charged fire extinguishers, plenty of facemasks and first aid boxes.

    Several of the team members of the Support Group were evacuated from their homes and had been relocated. The old saying says, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. OMG how true is that saying? We have all had tough situations at some point in our lives where we have had to cope and we all manage to make it through in one piece. “What doesn’t kill us, just makes us stronger”.

    Last, but not least is the Sonoma County Fleet Operations. Fleet Operations consists of a small group of mechanics and office personnel, a total of about 10 people. Fleet operation was in a 24/7 12 hour shift doing safety inspections on all of the patrol cars, making sure all filters were changed or checked, the tires were in good shape and making sure the vehicles were safe to drive. Because of the harsh conditions the deputies were driving in, the safety checks helped keep our deputies safe. Fleet Operations was changing tire after tire, all with screws, nails, or some other object stuck in the tire. One of the tires even had a screwdriver stuck in it. Unbelievable the areas our Deputies were driving in.

    The support system that was put together was so important for the safety and wellbeing of all people that were involved.

    What helped make the task such a success were the generous venders and suppliers. The businesses of Sonoma County with their support made the task of taking care of everyone that much easier. The around-the-clock support and the “We can do this” attitude helped keep Sonoma County alive.

     

     

  • California Fire Damage To Homes Is Less ‘Random’ Than It Seems

    Oakland, Calif., (December 15, 2017) – In the midst of the many wildfire emergencies that have faced California this year, it can often seem that the way houses burn, or don’t, is random.

    Can California update its building codes to minimize fire damage? AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

    The thing is, though, it’s not. Firefighters and researchers alike have a pretty solid understanding of why some houses are more vulnerable to wildfire than others. The real challenge ultimately lies in whether those with the power to act on that knowledge will do so.

    Available science – It is commonly thought that it takes direct flame to spread a fire, but this isn’t always the case. Small embers are instead often the culprits that begin house fires during wildfires. These small bits of burning debris can be lofted long distances by the wind. They can then end up igniting landscaping materials like combustible mulch, or enter homes through vulnerable spots – gutters teeming with debris, unscreened attic vents, open or broken windows, old roofs with missing shingles. Once there, the embers smolder and can ultimately catch a house on fire.

    In California, iconic winds work to create ideal ember-driven ignition conditions. The Santa Ana winds in Southern California – known as the Diablo winds in northern part of the state – have generally followed fairly predictable seasonal and spatial patterns. “Red flag” fire warnings are often issued on dry days when the winds will be particularly fierce.

    While humans can’t really control as much as we’d like to believe when it comes to disasters, we do have the ability to control where and how we build. For decades, most wildfire education and enforcement campaigns have focused on creating so-called defensible space where landscaping vegetation is carefully selected and located on the property, as well as routinely maintained.

    Can California update its building codes to minimize fire damage? AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

    This is not enough, however. Officials in California – as in other fire-prone states – need to help homeowners, local governments and builders to understand there are also specific, science-based steps that can be taken to make structures themselves less vulnerable to fire.

    Researchers recommend what is known as a “coupled approach” to home and building survival. This means the development and maintenance of an effective defensible space, as well as the careful selection of construction materials and correct installation to ensure that, for example, there are not gaps in siding or roofing that would allow embers to penetrate.

    Decision-makers also need to be willing to take on the most taboo topic of them all: recognizing that there are places houses simply shouldn’t be built, or rebuilt, at all.

    (Not) too urban to burn – Earlier this year, California had the first strong winter rains after many years of drought. Now, after a typically dry summer, the state is experiencing a dry start to the rainy season, particularly in the south. At the same time, people have continued to build into places known to burn regularly. The result of this confluence of events has been fires deeply affecting many thousands of people up and down the state.

    California residents are largely aware that not all fire is bad, and that many of our ecosystems thrive on regular fire. It’s not something that we should, or ever could, hope to fully contain. Our only chance is learning, really and truly and finally learning, to live with it.

    In that vein, the state must look long and hard at some of the steps that have been the hardest to take – not building in places that are particularly fire-prone and matching building codes with a modern understanding of wildfire risk – if there is to be any hope of alleviating the human suffering these fires cause.

    We are being invited to free ourselves from the notion that wildfire destruction is random and unpredictable, and that therefore there is nothing to be done about it. As the fire season in California gets longer, the winds worsen and wildfires move into areas once deemed too urbanized to burn, maybe the knowledge about what makes houses burn can finally be put to good use.

    Faith Kearns, Academic Coordinator, California Institute for Water Resources, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

    This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

  • Ag Workers Impacted By Fire Receive Housing Support

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (December 6, 2017) – More than 150 agricultural workers and their families from Sonoma County who were displaced by the fires in October will begin receiving a much needed helping hand today from a housing recovery fund recently established by the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation and the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.

    Beginning today, more than $430,000 will be distributed to individuals and families who were totally displaced by the fire, incurred damage to their homes or lost wages during the historic disaster. The funds are being distributed in the form of Visa gift cards to purchase new household items, food and supplies and to help pay utilities. To support the need for temporary or new housing, funds will be paid by the Foundation directly to landlords for rent. The “Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation Wildfire Housing Support Fund” was announced on October 18 to support ag workers and their families and has raised more than $550,000 since it was established. Once the immediate needs are met, any remaining funds will be used by the Foundation to address the long-term need for affordable housing for ag workers in Sonoma County.

    “Our ag workers are the heart and soul of Sonoma County agriculture and wine community so we want to do all we can to lessen the impact the fires has caused them,” said Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers and the executive director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation. She added, “This fund was specifically established to help any ag worker in Sonoma County and it is very gratifying to know that our neighbors who work in the dairy, fruit, vegetable and grape industries are benefitting from the generosity and compassion of people from throughout the country and around the world.”

    Donations to the Foundation’s housing recovery fund include contributions from charitable foundations, businesses including wineries in San Diego County that were ravaged by wildfires a few years ago; restaurants, wine bars and wine clubs; the local community and the general public. Contributions have ranged from $50,000 to numerous individual donations of $100, $50 and $25. One hundred percent of every donation made to the Fund goes directly to support ag workers and their families in Sonoma County.

    “It is our hope that these funds will eliminate a lot of anxiety and help re-establish households so the workers and their families can enjoy the Holidays and quickly get their lives back to the new normal we are all now facing,” said Steve Dutton, president of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau and a fifth-generation Sonoma County farmer. He added, “The generosity and compassion of all who have contributed has been simply amazing and has exceeded all expectations.”

    For anyone interested in contributing to the housing fund, visit: www.scggf.org to make a contribution. SCGGF is a 501(c)(3) organization.

  • Sun-Maid outgoing President Featured in American Vineyard

    Check your mailboxes for the December issue of American Vineyard Magazine, Featuring outgoing President of Sun-Maid Barry Kriebel, Wildfire Damage Assessment to the CA Wine Industry, and more… If you don’t currently receive the magazine and would like to, subscribe for free here.

  • Agriculture’s Response in a Crisis

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (November 30, 2017) – Monday, October 9th marked the beginning of the worst firestorm in California history. As parts of Sonoma County were devastated by wildfires, our agriculture community stepped up to protect livestock and property.

    There are many accounts of this, including SCFB board members Doug and Jennifer Beretta moving cattle from Sonoma Mountain to Farm Bureau member Andrea Krout and staff member Emily Janowski moving horses out of Rincon Valley directly in the fire’s path at 5 a.m. Monday morning.

    In Geyserville, Farm Bureau member Kevin Barr of Redwood Empire Vineyard Management brought out the fire truck he and his wife Linda own on their Summer Wind Vineyard to personally fight the fire.

    Kevin Barr fights fire in Geyserville with his personal fire truck. Photo courtesy of Linda Barr
    Kevin Barr fights fire in Geyserville with his personal fire truck. Photo courtesy of Linda Barr

    Sonoma County agriculture played a significant role in helping to protect Sonoma County, and many ag operations helped stop the progression of the fire. The photo of the hillside where cattle grazed next to the fire damaged grass land demonstrates how agriculture created defensible space.

    Vineyards have been touted as natural fire breaks and helped stop the fire’s progression in many areas. Hillsides around the county are black right up to the edge of a vineyard, and this was seen on all three fires in the county. Sonoma County residents should appreciate the positive aspects when a vineyard is planted next door to them.

    Sonoma County agriculture is amazing and steps up when and where it is needed. Sonoma County Farm Bureau is at the forefront of this effort setting up the Agriculture and Rural Lands Resource Town Hall meeting,the partnership with the Sonoma County Winegrowers Foundation to support ag employees and Farm Bureau’s leadership and coordination to provide feed to horse and livestock operations that lost pasture land or were displaced.

    Over the course of the last month, neighbors from near and far all asked the same question: how can we help? Now more than ever, it is important to support Sonoma County agriculture and the work Farm Bureau does in Sonoma County as well as the state and national level. Agriculture is critical to Sonoma County and Farm Bureau is always in your corner fighting for your rights and providing the needed resources. This is a time to continue to support ag by being a member of Farm Bureau or encouraging your neighbors to join. For more information on membership visit sonomafb.org.

    Fire Burns to the edge of a vineyard in Santa Rosa serving as a natural fire break
    Grazed pasture land serves as a natural fire break. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Larson UCCE

  • Sonoma County Agriculture Community Shows Strength and Resilience Following North Bay Wildfires

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (November 29, 2017) – On October 9th, Sonoma County woke up to a natural disaster no one expected. Over the next week, more than 100,000 acres burned in Sonoma County and neighboring counties were also battling wildfires. During this time, fires in the North Bay burned an area larger than New York City.

    Karen Ross, Secretary of California Department of Agriculture, visited Sonoma County on October 30th and spoke to rural residents about the recent wildfires in Sonoma County. From left to right: Sonoma County Farm Bureau President Steve Dutton, Second District Director Andrea Krout, Secretary Ross, and Second District Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt at the Agricultural Lands Fire Recovery and Rural Lands Fire Recovery and Resource Town Hall Meeting. Photo by Reachel LaFranchi.

    Despite the devastation our community experienced, more than 90% of Sonoma County was left unharmed, and in the weeks following the fire, our community has shown we are stronger than ever. We saw this repeatedly throughout the week our agricultural community was threatened.

    On Thursday, October 12th, as the fire approached the Mickelson family’s cattle in Sonoma Valley, the family knew they needed to move their livestock. More than 180 head of weaned calves and heifers were in the fire’s path.

    Jim Mickelson said getting help was fairly easy as his son called neighbors and friends to come in and load up the cattle. Everyone was willing to assist, and they had two semis and eight goosenecks show up to load all the cattle off the property and haul them to a ranch in Bodega.

    The pastures later burned, some partially and some completely, but the Mickelsons said they were part of the lucky ones. They lost pasture land, fencing and some tin off their barns but their structures all remained intact.

    The Mickelsons’ friends and neighbors showing up to help haul cattle is only one in an endless string of stories over the past month where the community has stepped up.

    Karen Ross, Secretary of California Department of Food and Agriculture, only reiterated this when she visited Sonoma County on October 30th and spoke at Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s fire recovery town hall meeting.

    “The one thing I’ve noticed from day one was the spirit of people in this community,” said Secretary Ross, “the willingness to do something for many they didn’t even know, to sacrifice something to help protect others, and that’s the spirit that we’re all going to have to hold onto and keep going with.”

    Secretary Ross recalled Nick Frey always saying “welcome to paradise” when she arrived in Sonoma County. Sonoma County is still paradise, she told the agricultural community, and although it has some scars, everyone knows that Sonoma County is still a special place.

    The town hall meeting offered resources for rural land owners with nearly 20 local, state and federal agencies offering support and information on recovery and rebuilding in rural areas.

    As the focus in Sonoma County moves away from the devastation and towards recovery and looking ahead, it’s important to remember Secretary Ross’ words “Sonoma County is still paradise.”

    Much of our agricultural community and the greater Sonoma County community relies on tourism. We are here, we are open for business. Support your local farmers. Encourage others to support our local farmers, wineries and businesses. Our community is strong. Our community is resilient. And with rolling acres of vineyards, hills with grazing livestock as far as the eye can see, and so much more diversified agriculture, our community is still standing strong.

    Sonoma County Farm Bureau has orchestrated many programs over the last month to help our rural community as well as providing as much information as possible to our members. If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office. Sonoma County Farm Bureau has been working for our agricultural community for 100 years, and we will continue to be here to support you in good times and bad.

    You can watch Secretary Ross address the Sonoma County agricultural community here: youtube.com/watch?v=5QCkGBIF8YA

  • Wildfire Recovery Resources Listed on CDFA Web Page

    Sacramento, Calif., (October 26, 2017) – With thousands of Californians suffering devastating losses due to recent wildfires, CDFA is offering a web page with resources for recovery.

    Included is a program from the California Employment Development Department (EDD) for individual assistance to those who have lost their jobs during the fires, in Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sonoma and Yuba counties. This is federal assistance administered by EDD that provides temporary unemployment benefits to people whose jobs or work hours were directly impacted by the fires.

    The USDA has multiple agencies that provide financial and/or technical assistance to help farmers, ranchers and rural landowners recover from natural disasters such as wildfires. The web page contains information about programs from the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Rural Development agency.

    Additionally, expertise and assistance on particular subjects (e.g. re-seeding, erosion & flooding, livestock, salvage logging, or reforestation) may be available through local or regional University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) Extension offices.

    The page also includes a link to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for a roster of local assistance centers as well as information about debris removal.

    Link to CDFA wildfire resources web page

     

  • Lessons to be Learned From Northern California Fires

     

    A wind-driven fire glows ominously over homes in Sonoma County in October 2017. Photo by Adam Giusti

    Lakeport, Calif., (October 26, 2017) – It’s Deja Vu all over again 
- Yogi Berra

     

    Once again I’m asked to provide some perspective on yet another catastrophic situation affecting the North Coast. In 2015, it was the Valley Fire. In 2016, it was the Clayton Fire. This year there are so many fires I’m having difficulty recalling their names…14 at last count.

    The cause for these 2017 conflagrations will be apparent once the elements of the fires are assessed. Tornadic winds hitting 50 mph Sunday, October 8, will most likely have started most if not all. Winds of this intensity can ignite fires by impacting electrical infrastructure by breaking lines and causing transformers to explode. The cause of the fires will come out in time. Thick stands of vegetation, the result of mid-20th century land management practices, years of fire suppression, homes built in rural locations in steep terrain, old legacy roads too small to accommodate modern fire-fighting equipment, and exurban development without the necessary resources to address fire prevention. All this leads to almost impossible conditions to arrest a fire being pushed by wind.

    I would argue there is no better fire-fighting force in the world than those found in California. What these men and women do is nothing short of extraordinary. But they are faced with an impossible task in the absence of an equally focused program of fire prevention.

    Cobb Mountain after the Valley Fire burned more than 76,000 acres in 2015. UC Cooperative Extension helped replant the area with ponderosa pine seedlings.

    What have I learned from Lake County as a result of the Valley and Clayton fires?

    The Lake County fires have provided insights that can help with the recovery and reconstruction of the most recent events. Specifically, resources must be secured to assist landowners and communities in better incorporating fire resilience into local rural and suburban planning and projects, to prepare for the eventuality of another fire by creating and maintaining conditions that allow the fire to be controlled before getting out of hand. Admittedly, the recent fires were wind-driven events that became uncontrollable. However, these fires are the exception to the rule. There are hundreds of fires a year in California that are quickly controlled and extinguished. Fire resiliency must incorporate plans and projects that can address less catastrophic conditions, in the hopes of arresting a fire before it becomes a conflagration.

    Other aspects for communities to consider when addressing fire resiliency may include fire-fighting equipment scaled to accommodate old, rural roads, resources to retrofit old roads to accommodate evacuees and first responders, and rural lands with poor or non-existent internet service need to re-establish fire sirens to alert residents of impending danger. Local statutes need to establish and enforce vegetation management standards on absentee parcels. And, finally, a sustained dialogue addressing fire resiliency must be incorporated into all land-use planning discussions to help landowners recognize and implement actions to help reduce the risk of catastrophic fire.

    Fire-fighting equipment may need to be scaled to accommodate old, narrow rural roads to improve fire response.

    None of this will be easy or inexpensive. But neither is fighting hundreds of thousand acres of wildland fires every year.

    Admittedly, the weather conditions responsible for these fires may negate the best plans and efforts. But again, those conditions are the exception to the rule.

    For every acre burned this year there are ten more, in the same condition, that didn’t, providing next year’s opportunity for a conflagration. The road forward to address California’s wildland fire threat is long, and full of twists and turns. But as with all long journeys, each begins with the first step.

    Greg Giusti is a UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus specializing in forests and wildlands ecology.

  • Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation Establishes Housing Support for Ag Workers Displaced by Fires

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (October 23, 2017) – With firefighters gaining control of fires throughout Sonoma County, the Grape Growers Foundation (SCGGF) announced today it is partnering with the Sonoma County Farm Bureau to establish a housing recovery fund for ag workers and their families who were displaced from their homes by last week’s devastating fires.

    The fund will serve to assist ag workers who lost their homes in the fires by helping to fund the re-establishment of new households.

    “Obviously, the fires have impacted everyone who lives in Sonoma County in a variety of ways and for our ag workers, the impact was particularly severe. Knowing that a home provides a family with stability and comfort, we are committed to getting all of our displaced ag employees into temporary housing as quickly as possible,” said Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers, who is also serving as the executive director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation.

    The fund has benefited from initial investments from local grape growers and supporters including $25,000 from the John Jordan Foundation and Jordan Vineyard & Winery and $25,000 from American Ag Credit.

    “Fortunately, the Grape Growers Foundation was established years ago to improve the lives of Sonoma County’s agricultural employees and their families while ensuring Sonoma County remains a place where agricultural workers will continue to live and work,” said Kruse. She added, “While the Foundation is taking a long-term focus on ag employee housing, we need a short term solution now due to the extent of this calamity.”

    For anyone interested in contributing to the housing fund, visit: www.scggf.org to make a contribution. SCGGF is a 501(c)(3) organization.