SACRAMENTO – The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has taken action to support Napa County’s agricultural communities following the 2025 Pickett Fire by requesting that the U.S. Department of Agriculture designate Napa County as a disaster area. If USDA approves the request, farmers impacted by the Pickett fire will have access to recovery resources and emergency loans, helping to stabilize farms in the region.
The Pickett Fire started August 21, 2025, and consumed more than 6,800 acres before being controlled on September 9, 2025. The fire caused more than $56 million in losses due to significant damage to agricultural infrastructure and crops, impacting producers, farm-related businesses and the overall Napa agricultural economy.
“Napa County is a critically important agricultural community for California,” said Cal OES Director Nancy Ward. “This declaration is incredibly important in helping support the recovery of growers, workers and businesses in this time of need.”
While containment efforts limited the overall acreage lost, the fire’s effects on agriculture, particularly winegrape production, were significant and widespread. The $56 million in losses, estimated by the Napa County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, represents over 5% of the county’s total agricultural production value from the previous year.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture disaster designation will help farmers gain access to emergency loan programs and recovery resources necessary to rebuild and stabilize the region’s agricultural economy. Farm operators in Napa County would be eligible for assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) including FSA emergency loans.
The Pickett Fire broke out north of Calistoga on the afternoon of August 21, growing to more than 3,200 acres in the first 24 hours. Aggressive firefighting efforts including airtankers, helicopters and bulldozers helped to contain the fire and minimize structure damage or loss. The area had already suffered economic loss from wildfire, with the Pickett Fire’s path falling within the burn scar of the devastating 2020 Glass Fire, which burned over 67,000 acres and impacted 1,500 structures.