Wildfires have yet to touch Ventura County farms, but fierce Santa Ana winds are wreaking havoc on local crops, particularly unripened avocados that are being blown off trees.

Grower Henry Vega said he knows of one farm where at least 10 percent of the avocados were on the ground.

“This is not all said and done,” Vega said. “We’re still experiencing drop.”

Damage estimates have not been assessed, according to Ventura County Farm Bureau Chief Executive Officer Rex Laird.

Fires that are raging through the Southland has growers scrambling, with Laird talking “almost constantly to growers in preparatory mode.”

Laird and growers are using a phone tree to track conditions, and growers are making sure brush is cleared away from the edge of orchards and sprinklers are running.

Lemons are also being stripped from trees, said Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner Earl McPhail, “but it’s mainly avocados.”

Avocados were the county’s sixth highest revenue generator in 2006, with $87.4 million in sales, according to the Agicultural Commissioner’s latest crop report. Lemons were third at $191.6 million.

As for the county’s top crop, strawberries, the “main concern right now is getting enough water on them so they don’t dry out and die,” McPhail said. Strawberries pulled in $366.3 million in 2006.

Losing more produce after last year’s freeze is just one more hit the county’s agricultural industry does not need, but considering how bad the situation has become in other counties, farmers are just thankful there’s been no direct fire damage.

Farm Bureau President Scott Deardorff grows row crops, such as tomatoes and celery, that were being picked Monday.

“The winds are so strong that we’ve had to issue glasses and face masks to the crew,” he said. “It’s miserable out there.”

The crew would likely stop work earlier than normal Monday, Deardorff said.

“I doubt they’ll be able to put in a full day of work,” he said. “It’s just the dust and air quality that we’re probably not going to keep them out too long today.”

Growers are working hard to prevent the ground from drying out. Deardorff said he has celery and strawberries that need moisture.

“Strawberries are all planted, but they’ve only been in the ground for a few weeks,” he said.

The blowing wind isn’t making it easy to water, added Vega, who also grows strawberries.

“We’re just trying to do the best we can,” he said. “Pray for rain.”