Burdoin fire destroys Washington wine assets

Following the fire that broke out in late July, Washington producers have lost whole crops to smoke damage, while others saw wineries, crush pads, cellar buildings, tractor sheds and pumphouses destroyed, along with thousands of cases of recently bottled wine.

 

The Burdoin inferno started at about 2.29pm on 18 July 2025 and escalated at breakneck speed, burning through more than 11,000 acres (4,451 ha) along the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington/Oregon border.

On 19 July evacuation orders were issued for the entire towns of Lyle and Bingen, and the state highway was closed in both directions as firefighters battled to contain the blaze.

According to local reports, more than 146 residences and structures have been destroyed in the fire, including properties and assets belonging to wine businesses in the area.

Full loss of crop

Speaking to The Oregonian, Sycline Winery owner James Mantone said he expected “a full loss of crop due to smoke damage”, though added that “several growers” have already reached out to offer their grapes so that Syncline can still make a 2024 vintage. It might not be possible to produce all its usual wines, however, as Syncline makes single-varietal expressions from a host of lesser-cultivated varieties in Washington including Gamay Noir, Gruner Veltliner, Mourvedre and Picpoul. The producer’s ‘Subduction Red’ is described as a blend of classic southern French varieties, which might prove more feasible for 2024.

There were even more devastating consequences for Baro Winery, which confirmed that its winery, crush pad, cellar building, tractor shed and pumphouse were all destroyed in the fire. Owner Eric Blossman also said he lost about 3,000 cases of recently bottled wine, leaving him with just 50 cases from the 2023 vintage that were stored off-site and unaffected by the fire, and revealed that a newly-planted 1.5-acre Syrah vineyard “got pretty roasted.”

Having only started Baro’s wine business in 2023, Blossman told The Oregonian: “We need to see if we even have the energy to attack it again, because we were just starting to get some traction, selling a little bit of wine and gaining some local notoriety.”

Dry winds

The famously dry wind that blows through Baro’s vineyard site likely accelerated the fire’s progress.

“Our unique microclimate and aspect results in a small area of high barometric pressure (the origin of Baro as our name) around the estate, often directing rain and moisture around us,” reads a description on Baro’s website. “Frequent strong and dry winds during the growing season force our vines to reach deep and grow strong. The dry winds also create an inhospitable environment for oidium and mildew, allowing us to farm as naturally and gently as possible.”

A live update on Baro’s operational status says “We are closed due to the Burdoin Fire. Sales are still open ’till we run out of wine.”

Meanwhile, Cor Cellars has confirmed that its estate vineyard sustained fire and smoke damage, and anticipates that about a half-acre of Sauvignon Blanc and white Italian variety Sauvignonasse (also known as Tocai Friulano) vines will need to be replanted.

Despite the owners of Domaine Pouillon watching their residential home “disappear into a pile of ash”, their winery, tasting room and vineyard were all spared by the fire. The wine estate aims to re-open over Labor Day bank holiday weekend (30 August to 1 September).

 

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