Watch CBS News

Update: Firefighters Battle Brushfire Near San Jose Municipal Golf Course

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- A brushfire quickly roared up a bone-dry creek bed near the San Jose Municipal Golf Course Saturday night, destroying makeshift structures in homeless encampments and sending flames and a large smoke plume soaring into the South Bay skies.

San Jose Fire Battalion Chief Greg Thornton said calls came in around 8:20 p.m. reporting a brushfire near 1560 Oakland Rd. along side the golf course.

"When we showed up there was heavy involvement in the Oak trees and quite a few homeless encampments were involved," he said.

Seven engines and dozens of firefighters were dispatched to battle flames in a Tier 1 response.

Small explosions were heard in the area as the flames burned through structures in the homeless encampments. Power lines were also downed by the advancing fire.

Firefighters were aided in wrestling control of the flames by the greens and fairways of the nearby golf course which formed a natural barrier to halt the fire's advance.

By 9:35 p.m. firefighters had the blaze contained and were beginning mop-up operations. Thornton said the fire burned through about 3-4 acres.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.