The flames stopped 2 meters from tanks holding fermenting wine at Sonoma's Imagery Estate Winery, but the threat to the precious contents persisted.
"There's a million dollars of wine in these tanks," said Mark Burningham, who helps manage Imagery. Smoke rose from a smoldering compost pile behind the vats and electricians rushed to hook up a generator so the tanks could be cooled and the wine would not spoil.
"The whole goal here is to save the wine," said Burningham, one of many vintners who have returned to their land and wineries despite evacuation orders.