A burning car ignited a small and slow-moving vegetation fire in the Palo Alto foothills Friday afternoon, which was quickly extinguished by multiple fire crews, according to Barbara Cimino, emergency manager for the Palo Alto Fire Department.

The fire was heading toward a grove of highly flammable eucalyptus trees, but no homes were threatened, she reported.

Cimino said a 2007 Ford Thunderbird caught fire and fire crews were dispatched at 3:46 p.m. to a locataion about 300 feet south of 31570 Page Mill Road.

City Foothill Patrol rangers were first on the scene and radioed in a description of the fire.

Engine 8 from the Foothills Fire Station was dispatched, along with a truck from Santa Clara County Fire District, while Cal-Fire provided air support.

The fire was limited to about a half acre, Cimino said.

Several engines from multiple agencies (the county, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space district rangers and Palo Alto rangers) remained to assist with the overhaul and verification that there were no remaining embers.

Favorable weather conditions and quick action by the fire response units prevented the fire from spreading further.

-- Palo Alto Weekly staff