Napa Valley winery worker charged with starting massive fire that caused $56M in losses

A winery worker has been charged with starting the devastating wildfire in 2025 that caused $56 million in winegrape losses in Napa Valley.

Criminal charges were filed on Thursday against Juan Luis Gutierrez Marfil, 45, of Napa, for allegedly starting the Pickett Fire, according to the Napa County District Attorney’s office.

Marfil, who worked for the Hundred Acre Winery, has been charged with a felony for recklessly causing a fire of a structure or forest, the DA said. He is also facing a special allegation that the offense caused more than $6 million in losses.

In the criminal complaint, Marfil “admitted to Cal Fire Law Enforcement of the disposing of hot ashes into a burn pile, which caused the Pickett Fire,” the Press Democrat reported.

The fire devastated wineries across the area, with dozens of growers losing their crops to smoke taint — a condition that occurs when wildfire smoke permeates the grapes and ruins the fruit.

The financial loss to wineries in the area has been estimated by Napa County at $56 million and that doesn’t include another $1.7 million for other agriculture items and structures.

A preliminary assessment from Napa County found damage to more than 3% of Napa Valley’s farmland, SF Chronicle reported.

A spokesperson for the Hundred Acre winery, owned by Jayson Woodbridge, said Marfil was not one of their employees, but was contracted to do work for them.

Marfil is accused of starting the blaze on August 21, 2025, on the 2300 block of Pickett Road in north Calistoga. It led to evacuations, destroyed a home and several buildings, burning more than 6,800 acres.

Gusty winds combined with triple-digit temperatures caused the flames to quickly spread through the hillsides and canyons. 

More than 2,000 emergency personnel responded to the blaze that lasted 17 days before it was finally out.

Earlier this month, a handful of wine growers sued Woodbridge and his winery over millions of dollars in crop losses, alleging the fire began on property owned by Woodbridge and Hundred Acre Winery.

Sam Singer, spokesman for Hundred Acre Wines, said “The Napa County Deputy DA has investigated the Pickett Fire and found no basis to file a criminal case against the Hundred Acre affiliates that own and operate the Pickett Road property.”

“We agree with that assessment and are pleased we have been cleared by the DA’s office.”

Marfil is due back in court for an arraignment hearing on September 9.