California wine grape growers need support to manage risks from wildfire and smoke

Authors: ZAKOWSKI, EMILY - Farm Foundation; PARKER, LAUREN - University Of California, Davis; JOHNSON, DEVON - University Of California, Davis; AGUIRRE, JOHN - California Association Of Winegrape Growers; Ostoja, Steven

Submitted to: California Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/2/2023
Publication Date: 7/17/2023
Citation: Zakowski, E., Parker, L., Johnson, D., Aguirre, J., Ostoja, S.M. 2023. California wine grape growers need support to manage risks from wildfire and smoke. California Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.3733/ca.2023a0006.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3733/ca.2023a0006

Interpretive Summary: Motivated by the catastrophic 2020 wildfire season in California and its effects on the state’s world-renowned wine industry, winegrape growers and wine producers across the state were surveyed. The objectives of the survey were to understand the impacts of wildfire on wine growing and wine making operations, the influence of wildfire risk on operational management decisions, and the informational resources available to producers looking to manage for wildfire. Survey results show that the negative outcomes of wildfires on wine production may occur far from the fire line, largely as a function of wildfire smoke. We also show that an increased perceived wildfire risk may not equate to management changes, and that despite diverse sources of wildfire-related information and operational guidance, information remains insufficient for effectively managing for fire risk. Results from this survey may be useful for local, state, and federal agencies and organizations seeking to understand wildfire effects on California viticulture and wine production broadly. Moreover, survey results regarding information availability may provide insights into informational sources helpful for determining the best course of action for information dissemination, which is crucial to improving future planning and response.

Technical Abstract: California has experienced an increase in the size and severity of wildfires in recent years, with wide-ranging impacts to agriculture. The 2020 wildfire season was particularly catastrophic, causing billions of dollars in damage to the state's world-renowned wine industry. Wine grape growers and wine producers statewide were recently surveyed to better understand the wildfire informational resources available to producers, as well as the role wildfire risk plays in operational management decisions. The survey results show that the negative impacts of wildfires on wine production may be the result of wildfire smoke more than of the actual wildfires. We also show that managers do not always make operational changes, even when they perceive increased wildfire risk. Despite diverse sources of wildfire-related information and operational guidance, there is not enough information to effectively manage fire risk.