That awful feeling of deja-vu as fires flare up in the Adelaide Hills

13 months ago a fire ripped a swathe through the Adelaide Hills, destroying some 30% of the Hills vineyards and torching vines, wineries, homes and equipment.

Now, on the back of another heatwave, a large 2500ha fire is burning at Cherry Tree Gardens. Echunga and Macclesfield are under threat today. While rain is forecast to fall on the firegrounds today, the conditions are increasingly erratic (a great update here on The Advertiser page).

For vignerons of the Adelaide Hills, the next day or so is a nervous wait with a horrid feeling of deja-vu. If the rain falls and the fire is controlled quickly then many will feel it is a bullet dodged.

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This picture was taken almost exactly seven years ago in Clarendon. You can see just how dry it is (for perspective) and the Cherry Gardens fire front is geographically just up the hill

However, this fire is even more dangerous for wine producers because it is later in the season, which means grapes have gone through veraison and are thus more prone to smoke taint (some more context here).

Fingers crossed that the heavens open over the Adelaide Hills and puts the fire out…