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San Jose Firefighters Contain Brush, Structure Fires Near Highway 87

SAN JOSE (KPIX) -- Firefighters battled multiple brush and structure fires burning close to each other in San Jose Thursday afternoon.

The San Jose Fire Department and Cal Fire both showed up to knock down flames on Communication Hill overlooking Highway 87.

Crews sprayed water from hoses and dropped it from helicopters.

The San Jose fire department said via Twitter that 35 acres of grass burned and neighbors told KPIX that two homes had suffered damage.

The department posted a photo on Twitter that shows extensive damage to one structure.

"First I heard two booms about 15 minutes before I heard the helicopters," said Betty Kesler, who lives across the highway from the fires. "I heard big booms like someone had thrown out one of those big, loud firecracker things."

The fires began just before 3 p.m. Thursday. At about that time, several other fires broke out along Highway 87. Fire trucks blocked the northbound lanes.

It was not immediately known if the fires at the various locations were connected. All the fires were under control by 6 p.m.

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