Looking at the footage of the fires in California, I am stuck at how many lives have been lost, how much destruction and how much damage they have caused and how quickly. Climate change is such a huge issue today and in my view, it is the issue of our time. Of course the wine industry recovered more or less from the 2017 fires but if these types of fires become the new normal, what steps do wineries take and where should the focus be. I found an article on this topic written by Liza Zimmerman for Forbes earlier this year. I think it’s interesting that the focus here is on the people who are evacuated – employees of wineries rather than the property.  I think that’s fundamental because at the end of the day, wine is made yes by grapes but it is crafted and cared for by people and so many are suffering as a result of the fires. I am not commenting on the politics that is going on around the fires but I stand squarely in the camp of Climate change is responsible not forest management and raking.