Apart from only one or two isolated showers over the last two or three months there has been no significant rainfall at all this summer. Of course, this means that our local fields and forests are all tinder dry, and in a very dangerous state. Despite warnings from local government (including overhead gantries on our motorways) warning of the risks, this arid, dry ground finally succumbed to the flames….

We have vineyards to the rear and side of our bodega, and behind that there is a wooded copse of mainly eucalyptus (not indigenous, but a species that accounts for between 30-40% of all Galician forests). Yesterday evening, for reasons that we may never know, these trees caught fire!

An alert neighbour jumped our fence, raised the alarm, and within a short time we had two fire appliances, the Guarda Civil, the Xunta de Galicia and even the local mayor in attendance. I assume that, owing to the proximity of housing, and not to mention, a bodega, these were soon joined by two fire fighting aircraft and a helicopter. We certainly cannot complain about the reaction of our local services.

Within an hour or so, it was under control, and despite a brief second flare up, it was eventually extinguished completely. Although the fire reached right up to the perimeter wall of the vineyard, we do not believe that any fruit was actually lost, but we will make a full assessment early next week. Of course, the other thing that we may have to take into account is smoke damage. It is not completely unheard of for smoke to add a slight taint to a wine (but not in a nice way). We will certainly have to keep this in mind this when harvesting.

(Just to put the danger into perspective the photo in this post was taken from the back wall of our bodega)