Famed California winery destroyed as fast-moving fires take over wine country

Fast-moving fires in California send tens of thousands of residents in wine country fleeing

The private family-owned winery, established in 1979, is located along the popular Silverado Trail, an area that came under mandatory evacuation orders on Sunday as the Glass Fire grew from a relatively small 20-acre vegetation fire to burn 11,000 acres.

Photos show flames completely taking over the stone chateau as firefighters worked to contain them Sunday night.

Firefighters walk through the burning Chateau Boswell Winery as the Glass Fire moves through the area on September 27, 2020 in St. Helena, California.

Chateau Boswell, located in in St. Helena, is known as one of just a handful of privately owned family wineries remaining in Napa Valley, according to its website.

Video posted to Twitter by CNN affiliate KGO reporter Amy Hollyfield shows the charred remains of the chateau while nearby trees still burn.

The Black Rock Inn, another popular destination in St. Helena, was also destroyed in the fire, according to its former owner, Jeff Orlik.

Orlik told CNN that he sold the inn two years ago and the new owners had been working on the property during that time. It wasn’t currently open to lodgers.

There are dozens of wineries in the area, three of which — Reverie Winery, Viader Winery and Davis Estates winery — are also threatened by flames, according to KPIX.

Fueled by dry conditions and high winds, two other fires — the Boysen Fire and the Shady Fire — also sparked Sunday night in the area, according to Cal Fire.

Flames have forced tens of thousands of evacuations throughout Napa and Somona counties, officials say.

CNN’s Alta Spells contributed to this report.

source: cnn.com