Toxic: Death Cap Mushrooms (Amanita phalloides)
NAPA COUNTY, Calif. - Health officials in Napa County are warning people to not ingest wild mushrooms that may be poisonous after three people who ate them were hospitalized over the weekend.
Not safe to eat
What we know:
Napa County's public health officer issued a statement on Tuesday about the three non-Napa County natives who made this mistake when they were foraging for mushrooms in the Deer Park area. The health officer's statement said the state is experiencing an "unprecedented outbreak of severe illness and deaths associated with the consumption of wild mushrooms."
Health officials said since November 18, 2025, there have been 47 cases and four deaths statewide.
Avoid at all costs
The wild, poisonous mushrooms are specifically found between Deer Park Road, Fawn Road and Silverado Trail in Napa County. However, poisonous mushrooms can be found anywhere, officials said.
"Recent rains have contributed to the resurgence of poisonous wild mushrooms in California, including in Napa," said Dr. Christine Wu, Napa County Public Health Officer and Deputy Director, Health & Human Services-Public Health. "Poisonous mushrooms can look and taste similar to safe mushrooms, and even experienced mushroom hunters have been affected by this outbreak."
Even if you think you know your mushrooms, you'd be wise to think twice.
Staying safe
Napa County's public health officials provided some bullet points on how to stay safe.
- The best way to stay safe is to not eat wild mushrooms.
- Avoid eating mushrooms picked by friends or family.
- Watch children closely when they play outside where wild mushrooms grow.
- Keep pets away from wild mushrooms — animals can be poisoned too.
- Cooking, boiling, freezing or drying poisonous mushrooms does not make them safe to eat.
If you think you or someone else has eaten poisonous mushrooms, you should seek medical care immediately and call the California Poison Control Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.
Symptoms of the poisoning may not appear until 6 to 24 hours after ingesting the mushrooms, health officials said. And while the symptoms may seem mild at first, they can rapidly become fatal. "Do not wait for symptoms to appear, as treatment is more difficult once they begin.
You can find more information from the California Department of Public Health here.
What we don't know:
Health officials did not give an update on the conditions of the three people who were poisoned.
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