A 40-acre brush fire near Grant County Park in San Jose broke out early Tuesday morning, which authorities said may have started after a car was vandalized and burst into flame.
The California Highway Patrol and Cal Fire authorities said the brush fire was first reported about 5:30 a.m. on Mt. Hamilton Road off of Quimby Road, and that vandals-turned-arsonists could have sparked the fire.
Fire officials said crew were able to fully contain the blaze by about 5 p.m.
Authorities pointed out a burned-out Honda, which was scorched and found off the road, as the culprit to the blaze. Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputies also recovered another car that appeared to be vandalized in the area.
Owners of both vehicles were traced back to San Jose.
The owners were contacted and in both cases they had not yet realized their cars had been stolen, according to the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office.
No drivers of the stolen vehicles were found and it was still unclear how the cars were set ablaze.
RAW VIDEO: Grass Fire Near Grant County Park in San Jose
John Burns, who was driving by the area, told NBC Bay Area that he's seen several people use this spot as a dumping ground to crash cars and do "tricks and donuts, break windshields" and then send the cars over the cliff.
Cal Fire officials battling the blaze were originally concerned the fire could spread up to 200 acres because of the extremely dry conditions this year.
