Brush Fire Causing Traffic Gridlock on Hwy 580

Firefighters are battling a vegetation fire near Interstate Highway 580 near Castro Valley, which apparently began when a car caught fire this afternoon.

Around 3:28 p.m., the California Highway Patrol first received a report of a vehicle on the highway’s westbound shoulder, just east of Eden Canyon Road, with black smoke coming from it, according to the CHP.

An elderly man who was inside the vehicle was able to get out of the vehicle, CHP officials said.

The fire then spread to nearby grass, causing the vegetation fire.

CHP officials called Alameda County fire to the scene.

As of around 4:30 p.m., CHP officials had at least one of the highway’s westbound lanes blocked, according to the CHP.

--Bay City News, photo via Shutterstock