A Napa Valley winery worker has been charged with starting the 2025 Pickett Fire, a blaze that caused an estimated $56 million in winegrape losses and significant damage to the region's agricultural sector. Juan Luis Gutierrez Marfil, 45, of Napa, was charged with a felony for recklessly causing a fire of a structure or forest, according to the Napa County District Attorney’s office.
A special allegation notes that the offense caused more than $6 million in losses. Marfil has admitted to Cal Fire Law Enforcement of disposing of hot ashes into a burn pile, which subsequently ignited the Pickett Fire, according to The Press Democrat.
The fire, which started on August 21, 2025, on Pickett Road in north Calistoga, spread rapidly through more than 6,800 acres due to gusty winds and triple-digit temperatures. The blaze led to evacuations, destroyed a home and several buildings, and required the response of over 2,000 emergency personnel over 17 days before it was fully extinguished.
Dozens of growers lost crops to smoke taint, a condition rendering grapes unusable when permeated by wildfire smoke. The financial impact on wineries is estimated at $56 million, with an additional $1.7 million in losses for other agricultural items and structures, according to Napa County.
A preliminary assessment indicated that over 3% of Napa Valley’s farmland sustained damage. Earlier in the month, several wine growers filed lawsuits against Jayson Woodbridge and his Hundred Acre Winery, alleging millions in crop losses and claiming the fire originated on property owned by the winery.
A spokesperson for Hundred Acre Winery stated that Marfil was contracted for work but was not an employee. The winery also noted that the Napa County Deputy District Attorney investigated the fire and found no basis to file criminal charges against Hundred Acre affiliates who own and operate the Pickett Road property, a conclusion the winery agrees with.
Marfil is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on September 9.
