Burnt vines in the Aude department of Southern France following a wildfire in August 2025.
As wildfires have battered the wine industry in recent years, follow-up reports have largely focused on the damage. But perhaps we’ve missed the larger point. What if the real question isn’t how fires threaten wine, but whether wine regions could shield the rest of us from wildfires?
Consider Napa’s recent transformation from victim to warrior. After the devastating fires of 2017 and 2020, Napa Firewise CEO Joseph Nordlinger and his team identified two barriers to resilience that plague fire-prone regions: fragmented efforts and simple complacency. In response, the team built a shared-services hub for Napa County, coordinating equipment, planning and funding ‘so we don’t have 23 Fire Safe Councils competing with one another for grant funds’, explains Nordlinger.
{“content”:”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”}
Related articles
Katherine Cole: ‘If their wine-growing is an act of resistance, I want to join the revolution’
Katherine Cole: When wine met tariffs, history rarely went according to plan
Katherine Cole: ‘The surest way to ensure wine’s demise is to politicise it’
The post Katherine Cole: ‘Is the real question whether wine regions could shield the rest of us from wildfires?’ appeared first on Decanter.