Wildfires in Washington and Oregon affecting hops?

[amcclai7]

http://www.weather.com/news/washington-oregon-wildfires-20140720

It takes a second for the map to load, but some of the fires look perilously close to the Yakima and Willamette valleys. If even 10-20% of the crop is lost, that would be devastating to the craft beer community and even if the hops themselves are not burned, it is had to believe that nearly a million burning acres in the area wouldn't have some negative affect on the harvest.

Has anybody heard anything about this on the beer front?

 

[jtd_419]

To the best my knowledge the fires are a few hours north of Yakima and moving east so it shouldn't be any concern in that aspect. However the hundreds of lost homes and displaced families are or at least should be of more concern

 

[jtd_419]

The oregon fires I couldn't tell you about as I don't know any firefighters that have been air dropped into that one

 

[pdxal]

The fires are not effecting the crop in the Willamette Valley in Oregon since they are east of the valley and the prevailing winds/weather patterns are heading east from the ocean. There are also no major fires burning anywhere near Yakima, so the Washington crop is likely safe as well.
Most Oregon and Washington wildfires happen in the Cascades or East, and the prime hop growing areas in Oregon are west. Yakima is drier than the Willamette Valley, but doesn't seem to have a lot of fires in the summer compared to further East.

 

[amcclai7]

The fires are not effecting the crop in the Willamette Valley in Oregon since they are east of the valley and the prevailing winds/weather patterns are heading east from the ocean. There are also no major fires burning anywhere near Yakima, so the Washington crop is likely safe as well.
Most Oregon and Washington wildfires happen in the Cascades or East, and the prime hop growing areas in Oregon are west. Yakima is drier than the Willamette Valley, but doesn't seem to have a lot of fires in the summer compared to further East.

Thanks, That's exactly what i wanted to hear.

 

[acidrain]

Millions of acres burned, hundreds of homes lost and you're worried about hops.
Sheesh.

 

[Talgrath]

Millions of acres burned, hundreds of homes lost and you're worried about hops.
Sheesh.

We're on a beer discussion website, it's a valid question since it would affect the brewing of beer. I live in Washington, and yes it is terrible that so many people have lost their homes and that so much forest has burned, but I wouldn't come to this site and expect a discussion on that because it's not related to beer.

 

[acidrain]

We're on a beer discussion website, it's a valid question since it would affect the brewing of beer. I live in Washington, and yes it is terrible that so many people have lost their homes and that so much forest has burned, but I wouldn't come to this site and expect a discussion on that because it's not related to beer.

Try this, your mother has just been hospitalized from a terrible auto accident and your neighbor goes out of his way to ask if the car is OK.

It was an insensitive question.

 

[Flipadelphia]

Try this. He's on a homebrew website asking about homebrewing ingredients. Worst analogy ever.

 

[day_trippr]

Everything everywhere simply must be PC or someone somewhere will develop angst...

Cheers!

 

[kaconga]

Well the idea that hops are more important than people, even implied, is a disturbing one. I don't think the original poster was meaning any insensitivity though. I have known people personally affected by the fires and have breathed the smoke myself from them. Yet when the question was posed I was instantly curious as to whether or not that would add to the tragedy. If that makes me a monster then so be it, but after the shock of something wears off people often wonder about the smaller things.

 

[nebulous]

this is a very valid question and i don't feel it is insensitive. When most of central Europe flooded a number of years ago it massively effected the global hop supply for a number of years. if you want the personal sensational element of the story go watch any major news broadcaster, if you want to talk about beer and things relating to beer making come here. Don't ream a guy for asking about a current event that could effect the entire brewing community.

 

[Talgrath]

Try this, your mother has just been hospitalized from a terrible auto accident and your neighbor goes out of his way to ask if the car is OK.

It was an insensitive question.

Except that's not really what happened. He's not asking a grieving family "Hey, how's this going to affect the hop harvest?", he's asking people on a website about beer (which uses hops) if they think this will affect the hop harvest. Again, if this was a general news website or a site about the Washington fires then I would call your anger completely justified.