Fatal
fires that have consumed nearly 200,000 acres in Northern California,
devastating the region’s vineyards particularly in Napa and Sonoma
Counties, are also taking a toll on a fledgling industry just months
before its debut: recreational marijuana.
Many
of the region’s farms, including those that harvest cannabis, have been
scorched, including those in Sonoma County and in Mendocino County, the
center of California’s marijuana industry. Mendocino is one of three
California counties that comprise Emerald Triangle, where much of the
United States’ marijuana is produced.
Hezekiah
Allen, the executive director of the California Growers Association,
said Thursday that at least seven farms had been destroyed, and that he
expected the number to “increase significantly” as people returned to
their homes. Tens of thousands of cannabis growers live in Northern California.
The
owners of the seven farms include small-scale growers who put their
life savings into their farms over the past year, he said. None of them
have insurance, he said.
“They leveraged themselves entirely,” Mr. Allen said. “It’s going to hit some families really hard.”
Even
the crops that were not in the direct line of fire could lose value or
become unusable because of smoke damage, soot and ash. Growers will have
to sort out whether the damage is merely aesthetic or whether it could
include contaminants that would present a health risk to consumers, Mr.
Allen said. Smoke tends to stick to the plants, which is bad news for a
product that depends largely on flavor and scent for its value.
“If it’s supposed to smell like lemon and it smells like wildfire, that’s going to be a significant detractor,” he said.
Mr. Drayton said October is the end of growing season in Northern California, making it a disastrous time for the fires to hit.
“A lot of these crops have not been harvested at all, so that means a total loss on those farms,” he said.
Photos
of scorched land have started appearing on Instagram, including one
from Sonoma Cannabis Company. “We have all been touched by this tragedy.
One of our Team members lost their home, their crop and everything in
the fire,” the caption read.
The
state has long been the country’s illicit hub of growing marijuana, and
its market alone is estimated to be worth about $7 billion, according
to Arcview, a company that conducts cannabis research.
California voted in November to legalize recreational marijuana,
allowing adults 21 or older to possess limited amounts for personal use
and have up to six plants in private residences. The law is set to take
effect in January 2018, and officials expect legalization to bring
about $1 billion in tax revenue. Medical marijuana has been legal in the
state since 1996.
California
has been at odds with the Trump administration on the state’s marijuana
industry. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has equated marijuana use
with heroin, has asked Senate leaders to roll back protections for the
medical marijuana industry. And in February, the White House said it
would consider enforcing federal law against recreational marijuana businesses.
