(PD) - Recovery from October’s devastating wildfires will be prolonged, painful and costly, leaders of the region’s wine industry stressed Saturday as the Sonoma County Wine Auction raised a record $5.7 million for charitable causes, nearly half of which will be targeted to assist with post-fire affordable housing.

Auction chair George Hamel Jr., co-vintner of Sonoma’s Hamel Family Wines, noted that many of those who lost their homes in Sonoma County — more than 5,300 were destroyed in the fires — “are still in temporary housing, couch surfing or living with relatives,” Hamel said. “Today we had the chance to do something special to help them.”