Glass Fire: Napa Valley food giveaway benefits hundreds of impacted hotel workers
CALISTOGA, Calif. (KGO) -- There was outreach and support in the Napa Valley Sunday for those impacted by the Glass Fire.
Hundreds benefited from a food giveaway, and we're still hearing amazing stories of survival and property protection when the massive fire was on the move.
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Large food boxes were going fast outside the Solage Hotel in Calistoga for a drive-through giveaway.
More than 300 employees of the Auberge hotel chain got one, all of them impacted by the Glass Fire during weeks of evacuations and power outages.
"We did a food drive with our partners, it speaks to how Calistoga can rise to meet the need of the community," said Solage General Manager Todd Cilano.
Daniel Jaquez worked at the hotel chain's neighboring property, Calistoga Ranch; it was destroyed by the fire. Only a few walls and some chimneys remain.
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"The Ranch was my family, I met great people, everyone helping each other out, to lose it in the blink of an eye was hurtful," said Jaquez.
Daniel hopes to get a new job within the company.
Meantime, winery owner Fiona Barnett shared her story of survival during the worst of the Glass Fire.
"It was very close to burning down the winery," Barnett said.
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Barnett Vineyards sits at the top of Spring Mountain Road in St. Helena. Firefighters were stretched thin, so employees jumped in.
Cell phone video shows how close the fire got to the vineyards but friends, family and employees grabbed hoses and made a stand.
"We weren't trying to fight the fire and extinguish it, just keep it off the property," said winemaker David Tate.
By some miracle it worked. Some grapevines burned, so did an observation deck, but much of the property survived.
"Our adrenaline was pumping at the time but we feel blessed to be standing here," Tate added.
Dozens of other wineries suffered damage, but some like Barnett were lucky.
"My heart goes out to those who lost property," Barnett said.
