Southern California's persistent dryness elevates wildfire risks for agricultural stakeholders. Avocado producers are in recovery mode following last autumn's extensive fires. "There are about 20,200 hectares of avocados in the state of California, and there are about 1,620 hectares of avocados that were within the footprint of the mountain fire burn area, and I know, you know, some of those are orchards that were completely destroyed. Some of them it just blew through very quickly as a flash fire and did varying levels of damage. So, they lost a lot of crop for this season, but the trees may bounce back," states Chris Sayer, a fifth-generation farmer.
Damage assessments indicate nearly 8% of the state's avocado acreage was affected. The forthcoming harvest season is expected to provide insights into tree recovery and yield potential.
Source: RFD TV