When It Comes to Getting Paid After a Wildfire, It Helps to Know the Governor

More than 30 small wineries and vineyard owners say they suffered damages in the Pickett fire allegedly started by Juan Luis Gutierrez Marfil and are seeking to recover about $90 million they say they lost.

So far, only one wine company has received compensation from Hundred Acre and its owner, Jayson Woodbridge, for whom Marfil worked – PlumpJack Corp., co-founded by Gov. Gavin Newsom. It lost about 60 of its 129 acres of vines at its Oso Vineyard.

“As the only vineyard involved in this case to experience burn damage, we were not surprised to be among the first to reach a resolution,” PlumpJack said in a statement.

Ed Snider who said he "lost everything" because of the fire, including his vineyard, home and income stream. told the San Francisco Chronicl “I really felt uncomfortable with that.” “It pretty much left me penniless at 65.”