Wineries convene at Napa Wildfire Resiliency Summit

By James Bayley

Published: 08 March, 2023

In 2022 there were 7,490 wildfires in California according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The total acreage burned last year was 362,455, this was well below the five-year average of 2.3 million acres.

Despite the 'quiet' year as measured in acreage, a number of significant wildfires burned in California in 2022; these include the Oak Fire in Mariposa County, which burned over 180 structures, the McKinney Fire in Siskiyou County, which caused four fatalities and the Mosquito Fire in Placer and El Dorado counties, which was California's largest wildfire of the year. In total, California wildfires claimed nine lives in 2022.

The crisis is so bad that insurers are fleeing the state, leaving many wineries, commercial properties and local residents without insurance for their assets.

Read more: Soapbox: Can the wine industry survive desertification?

Furthermore, the California wine industry contributes approximately $170 billion each year to the US. economy – change is much needed.

Held in Napa County, the Wildfire Resiliency Summit aims to shed light on the Napa region’s burgeoning insurability crisis. Wildfires like the glass fire incident in 2020, which destroyed over 1,500 structures and covered more than 67,000 acres, serve as catalysts for change in Napa.

The fallout from this incident, and many others like it, which left wineries facing non-renewals or sizable premium increases, will be examined to identify a long-term solution to the causes and effects of wildfires.

Linda Reiff, president and CEO of the nonprofit trade association Napa Valley Vintners said: “At the end of the day, we are an agricultural community, and our livelihood depends on ensuring our land and resources are safe. We are excited to take part in this summit to help collaborate with key insurance leaders and demonstrate the great work and progress our community has collectively made to prevent and mitigate any future fires.” 

The two-day summit, which is hosted by Galway Holdings, a financial services platform, will feature tours of local wineries and homes, showcasing business and property owners’ efforts to protect their assets and communities. Attendees can expect to learn various mitigation strategies that help manage and contain wildfire risk in regions that have been dubbed “uninsurable” by many.

John Hahn, executive chairman of Galway Holdings added: “Property owners need a set of best practices and solutions to protect their assets, while insurers must adapt their underwriting approach in light of new technologies, models, research, mitigation tactics and community efforts in hardening defences. The Wildfire Resiliency Summit is an opportunity to bring these stakeholders together, with the goal of supporting insurability and rate stability in Napa and other regions that are prone to wildfires.”

Printer friendly version