San Jose

San Jose Vegetation Fire Sends Plumes Towering Over Highway 101

Bay Area fire departments sprung into action on Saturday when a vegetation fire broke out on Sierra Road in San Jose, sending plumes of smoke towering over Highway 101 and slowing traffic. 

Cal fire took the lead and San Jose and Milpitas Fire provided assistance, quickly getting the 124-acre fire under 75% containment within hours. 

The fire, which broke out near a residential neighborhood at Sierra and Calaveras Roads in East San Jose, raged for hours, but officials determined there was not enough of a threat to warrant an evacuation. Fire crews will be staying overnight, however, to monitor the situation. A Cal Fire spokesperson said that was standard protocol. 

Still, the fire was unsettling -- but not surprising -- to those living close to the engulfed region. 

"I mean, it's a long  time coming," said Sam Isaac of San Jose. "It's awful dry up there. Very dry up there." 

Isaac has lived down the hill for 37 years. While the fire seems to be under control, he says the dryer-than-normal conditions as of late have been troubling, to say the least.

So have a few more recent developments that make the area more active than it once was.

"A lot of kids go up there. Now that they've made the parking up there with the open space...they go up there and they party," Isaac said. "Yeah, it bothers me. But what are you gonna do?"

The cause of the fire is still being investigated. 

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