Small brush fire breaks out on Highway 101 in San Jose

SAN JOSE (KTVU) -- A brush fire along the side of Highway 101 was sending thick plumes of smoke over the freeway and snarling traffic in the area.

California Highway Patrol Officer Ross Lee said the fire was occurring on the right shoulder of the southbound lanes of Highway 101 at McKee Road along the grassy area of the right shoulder.

The smoke from the fire was impacting the evening rush hour commute.

"We are experiencing a bit of a back-up from this," he said, adding that firefighters were on the scene of the small blaze.

The CHP has shut down the onramp from McKee Road onto southbound Highway 101 as well as the highway's southbound offramp onto East Santa Clara Street.

No injuries have been reported and it was not immediately clear how the fire started.