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Harvest of fear

orange twilight seen from Lamborn Vineyards

Based in the Bay Area, Alder reports on the smoke, flames and extraordinary skies that have been threatening far too much of the west coast.

Writing a column about the state of harvest on America’s west coast in the face of historic wildfires seems to be an exercise in futility, akin to filing an article about a marathon only halfway through the race. By the time you read these words, the world may look very different.

Of course, the world already looks different.

Last Wednesday 9 September the sun didn’t rise in San Francisco, as smoke from hundreds of wildfires...