Ray Signorello was on a trip to Canada with his two daughters, ages 2 and 6, when he heard that his namesake winery, built in 1986 on Silverado Trail, was on fire.

His wife, Tanya, was at the property – where the family also lives – when flames became visible in the Vaca Mountains. She evacuated around 11 p.m.

By morning, Signorello Estate would become a memorable image of devastation in the Wine Country fires that, several days later, are still causing destruction throughout Napa and Sonoma counties.

A number of staff members had raced to the winery late Sunday night, fire extinguishers in hand. “They fought the fire themselves for as long as they could,” Ray Signorello said.