Wildfire in Squaw Valley being brought under containment; family pets still missing

The Silver Fire that destroyed three homes in Squaw Valley was 60 percent contained late Thursday after burning 58 acres.

The fire was sparked Wednesday afternoon and quickly consumed residences in its path, killing dozens of animals belonging to residents, who still are looking for missing pets.

One homeowner’s four adult Saint Bernards and one puppy still are missing.

Twenty homes were initially threatened. Forward motion of the fire was stopped Wednesday night, firefighters said, but the combination of embers and wind – which gusted at 20-25 mph earlier in the day – kept firefighters busy.

The cause of the wildfire is under investigation. An emergency shelter was established at the rodeo grounds in Squaw Valley. About 200 fire personnel were called up to battle the flames, and there were no reported injuries.

This story was originally published October 13, 2017 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Wildfire in Squaw Valley being brought under containment; family pets still missing."