Dog Rescued, Property Burned in Napa Fire

A fire in the 1100 block of Shetler Avenue, near Mayfair Drive, damaged the garages of three properties Tuesday evening, but a dog in the yard was rescued by passing neighbors and no injuries were reported.

The fire broke out at about 5 p.m., according to neighbor Richard Bruns, who with Judy Colson was returning from a drive when they observed what he called "a black puff of smoke like a silent explosion" and saw the back of a garage on fire.

Colson called 911 while Bruns banged on nearby doors and handed off to one neighbor a dog that was in the yard of the property where the fire began, he said.

Bruns said he and other neighbors then began fighting the flames. 

In an email to Napa Patch, Bruns wrote that he "opened up front yard hose and began spraying house roof on east side. Teenage neighbor to the west started garden hose on garage and fence and back of house to the west.

"Neighbor across Parrish (east) had garden hose on back of garage and wetting down Hollywood Juniper trees. At least three by this time had gone up like torches," Bruns wrote.

The neighbors were joined by firefighters from the CalFire,  fire and police departments and officers within minutes and the blaze was quickly controlled.

Once firefighters arrived Bruns, an experienced photographer and Napa Patch contributor, shot these compelling images of the struggle to keep the blaze from spreading.

The fire burned a part of the garage, a wood pile and two fences and the heat from the flames damaged two garages on adjoining properties.

CalFire officials said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

For all our latest fire coverage, please see our Fire Watch topic page at napa.patch.com/topics/Fire-Watch.