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Grass Fire Burns Near Highway 880 In San Jose

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) - San Jose firefighters were at the scene of a grass fire along the southbound side of Interstate Highway 880 near Bascom Avenue, a fire captain said.

The one-alarm fire was reported at 1:36 p.m. on I-880 just south of The Alameda. Crews responded to find that the fire had spread 30 to 40 feet up an embankment, fire department spokesman Capt. Cleo Doss said.

The flames traveled a quarter to a half-mile but a masonry sound wall prevented the fire from spreading to nearby homes, Doss said.

As crews worked to contain the blaze, Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol shut down two lanes on southbound I-880, Doss said.

"There's a huge traffic snarl," Doss said. "Crews are making good headway."

Some firefighters were sent to Newhall Street, which winds into part of Santa Clara, to check for embers that might be carried to homes off the freeway, Doss said.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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