Thursday morning, the Laguna Fire broke out in Oxnard, CA. Markon captured these images which illustrate how close the flames came to farmland. The Santa Ana winds played a significant role in the fire's spread, but fire crews were on the scene quickly and immediately began work to control it.
This picture illustrates how close the flames came to farmland.
Markon says it is too soon to assess any potential impact on the products from this region, aside from the possibility of ash deposits and air quality concerns that could limit farmworker activity. The company's inspectors will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary.
Meanwhile, the company had taken a Live from the Fields video the day before regarding strong winds and wildfires in Southern California and their effects on the Oxnard growing region.
The Hughes Fire, located approximately 50 miles from Oxnard in Castaic, kicked up at approximately 10:30 am on January 22. Strong winds pushed smoke and ash into the Oxnard region by early afternoon, significantly reducing air quality.
Some growers had canceled harvests due to these Santa Ana winds and the potential for smoke/ash to become a concern again. Oxnard crops that have been impacted and/or are subject to falling ash: celery, Cilantro, kale, parsley, and strawberries.
For more information:
Cathy Gomez
Markon Cooperative
cathyg@markon.com
www.markon.com