UPDATE: Firefighters Mopping Up Hot Spots After Vegetation Fire In San Jose Foothills Burns 8 Acres
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) – Firefighters put out a fast-moving vegetation fire that came inches from at least one home in the East San Jose foothills on Monday afternoon.
Young Yue was working outside when he said he noticed the sky change color. He then saw smoke and flames.
"I saw the fire, so fast, I saw smoke first and then I saw fire on the top of that hill, I know there are lots of trees here," Yue said fearing that he would lose his home.
He alerted his wife and his two children who tried to get in their car and leave, but were quickly surrounded by thick smoke.
"When we turned back we couldn't see our house," said Young's wife Joy Xiong.
Around 3:45 p.m., Cal Fire tweeted that the fire broke out in the area of Sierra Road and Varner Court.
Shortly after 4 p.m., Cal Fire said the fire has burned at least 8 acres. Less than 40 minutes later, Cal Fire announced that forward progress of the fire has been stopped and that firefighters will remain on scene to battle hot spots.
At least 10 homes were evacuated and no injuries have been reported. Structures have been threatened but none have been destroyed by the fire as well.
San Jose Fire Department Chief Jesse Allread said a majority of those impacted homes are on Suncrest Avenue near Sierra Road in East San Jose.
There are about 40 to 50 San Jose firefighters who responded to the blaze, along with a helicopter and helipad team from CalFire as the wildfire elicited a tier 2 response.
The first responders were able to knockdown the hot head of the fire - meaning the hottest and most active part of the fires - by 4:30, Allread said.
Winds were strong on Monday, pushing the flames through the dry vegetation. Xiong said it was the windiest day so far this year.
"With the winds anything can happen at this time so we're just making sure that we're real thorough on the mop-up right now," Allread said.
That means firefighters are focusing on putting out the smaller fires in the area so that it does not spread into a bigger one.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
Multiple wildfires have been reported over the course of Monday afternoon with much of Northern California under a Red Flag Warning due to increased fire danger from high winds and low humidity.
Yue and Xiong were grateful their home was spared, but noticed smoke billowing from their son's room as firefighters announced they'd put out the brush fire.
Firefighters took a closer look, and found an ember had made its way into the couple's home and had been smoldering. They punched a hole through the wall to find the source, and put it out before it could do further damage.
Xiong said she knows it could've ended so much worse.
"I feel so lucky," she said. "I feel so appreciative of them."
Maria Medina contributed to this story.
© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
