Hwy. 101 Brush Fire Contained In So. San Jose In Minutes

SAN JOSE, CA -- City Fire jumped all over a one-acre brush fire licking at the back yards of homes off Highway 101 at Heathcliff Place and Fontanelle Dr. in South San Jose Wednesday afternoon, backing up traffic during the rush-hour commute.

"We stopped it before it did any damage," Capt. Mitch Matlow told Patch.

To illustrate just how much of a concern October is in "the fire year," his agency that covers 200 square miles threw five units at the scene of the small fire. The call came in at 2:50 p.m., with containment within 10 minutes.

Two lanes on the northbound side were closed, while the southbound side carried its regular heavy traffic during the commute hours.

"Traffic is impacted in both directions," California Highway Patrol spokesman Ross Lee said.

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