The “Gloria Fire” is one of the most recent, and started just east of Soledad, in Salinas Valley.  Seems like fingers are pointing at Estancia Winery (owned by Constellation) as the cause.  Wineries often use “bird bombs” to scare off hungry birds that eat the ripening grapes.  Unlike the safer “bird cannons,” these bombs are fired by a hand held gun, and explode in the air.  While the cannons give...

Two different wildfires burning right now have caused winery tasting rooms to close.  The first fire, named “The Lockheed Fire” started last Wednesday night at the Lockheed facility in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  This hilly area is home to many small producers.  So far only Beauregard Vineyards and McHenry vineyards have closed, evacuating all employees.  As of Sunday, this wildfire had burned 6.843 acres and was 50%...