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Famous wineries evacuated as wildfires ‘mapped at 570 acres’ seize Napa valley

Four-mile stretch where evacuation is taking place is home to several wineries and vineyards

Stuti Mishra
Wednesday 01 June 2022 07:13 BST
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File image: California is prone to frequent wildfires with the occurrence of such incidents made a lot worse due to the climate crisis
File image: California is prone to frequent wildfires with the occurrence of such incidents made a lot worse due to the climate crisis (Getty Images)

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A raging wildfire in California’s Napa County has spread to over 570 acres and has triggered an evacuation in the area’s wineries and nearby places.

The fire reported on Tuesday afternoon in the Old Soda Springs Road of the northeastern area of Napa county had initially spread to 200 acres, but has now “been mapped at 570 acres” and remains at 5 per cent containment, said California’s fire department in its latest update on Tuesday.

“Fire is much less active now and firefighters will work through the night to contain and control the fire,” the update stated.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued on Tuesday for residents living at 1300 Soda Canyon Road.

A road closure at Soda Canyon and Silverado trail is in effect until further notice, the order said.

The four-mile stretch where evacuation is taking place is home to several wineries and vineyards including Relic Wine Cellars and Antica Napa Valley, according to SFGate.

The California fire team has named the wildfire Old Fire.

The fire department website said damage to properties was reported. No details on the levels of damage, however, have been reported.

The Napa valley – famous for its wineries – is a popular tourist destination. The weather in the area is favourable for a wide range of grapes and some three dozen different grape varieties thrive there.

California is prone to frequent wildfires and the occurrence of such incidents has been made a lot worse due to the climate crisis.

On Monday, a fire was reported in the Angeles National Forest near the Bouquet Reservoir north of Santa Clarita.

Another fire was reported at a home in Bethel Island early on Saturday morning.

The incidents come as California braces for its most vulnerable months due to wildfires.

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