Pickett Fire threatens Napa Valley homes and wineries as evacuations expand near Calistoga

California’s wildfire season began with urgency over the weekend as the Pickett Fire, burning just outside Calistoga in Napa County, forced evacuations and threatened hundreds of homes and wineries. By Sunday afternoon, more than 1,200 firefighters and 10 helicopters were working nearly nonstop to contain the blaze, which had grown to cover 27 square miles. The fire was only 11 percent contained as of Sunday, but officials said they had managed to slow its advance.

The fire’s mandatory evacuation zone now includes parts of Silverado Trail and comes within a few blocks of Calistoga. Eisele Vineyard, Venge Vineyards, Kenefick Ranch, and Hundred Acre Private Road Winery are all inside the evacuation area. Heather Griffin, owner of Summit Lake Vineyards, said her home on Aetna Springs Road is also under evacuation orders. Despite the risk, Griffin decided to stay for now. She described the situation as “a little toasty,” but noted that firefighting resources and personnel have been much more available compared to the devastating Glass Fire in 2020.

The memory of the Glass Fire remains fresh for many in Napa Valley. That fire destroyed or damaged more than 1,500 buildings, including well-known wineries and restaurants. The current Pickett Fire is burning in some of the same areas affected in 2020. According to CalFire officials, the burn scar left by the Glass Fire has actually helped slow the Pickett Fire’s progress because less vegetation has regrown there.

Griffin said that this year’s response from CalFire and local crews has been proactive and effective. “They have been amazingly on every little fire that popped up this year,” she said. “They’ve been really pro-active about getting the fires when they pop up.”

Even if flames do not reach vineyards or wineries directly, smoke from large wildfires can threaten grape quality through a phenomenon known as smoke taint. Most grapes in Napa Valley have already gone through veraison—the point when they begin to ripen—but few have been harvested yet. This makes them especially vulnerable to smoke exposure at this time of year. An air-quality advisory was issued for Napa, Sonoma, and Solano counties through Monday.

Some winemakers are concerned about how news of smoke might affect consumer perceptions of the 2025 vintage. Stu Smith, co-owner of Smith Madrone Vineyards & Winery on Spring Mountain, said he has not noticed significant smoke at his property so far. “The smoke is like a veil that blanketed the hills on the other side,” Smith said. “The smoke is hanging on the eastern mountains. It’s not horrible.”

The fire remains close to Calistoga but has mostly pushed away from the city toward Pope Valley and Howell Mountain. The town of Angwin, which suffered damage during the Glass Fire, is also nearby but has not been affected so far thanks to firefighting efforts.

Despite the threat, some wineries near the fire’s front lines continued operating late last week. Venge Vineyards’ general manager Jason Williams reported that his team harvested eight tons of Sauvignon Blanc before evacuations expanded to include their property.

On Sunday, CalFire moved its command center several miles away from Calistoga as a precaution. Napa County opened the Calistoga Community Center for evacuees and warned that some areas may experience power outages as a safety measure.

Napa County Sheriff Oscar Ortiz said Saturday that most affected areas are sparsely populated ranch land and rural properties, so initial impacts on residents were limited. However, as evacuations expanded over the weekend, more people sought shelter.

Since 2020, many Napa wineries have invested heavily in fire prevention measures such as clearing brush around buildings and even purchasing their own firefighting equipment. Griffin said her property is well-defended and that she remains hopeful despite ongoing challenges. “In farming, you have challenge after challenge,” she said. “It’s not worth the worry and stress until it’s something you have to deal with.”

As firefighters continue their efforts this week, residents and business owners across Napa Valley are watching closely for updates while hoping for a safe outcome during another difficult fire season in California’s wine country.