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Crews were working to put out a wildfire that broke out near Emma Wood State Beach in Ventura Friday afternoon.

The blaze was burning in a riverbed near the Emma Wood State Beach group campsites, just south the 101 Freeway, the Ventura County Fire Department said.

Firefighters were on scene by 2:50 p.m., when the flames covered about 1.5 acres. The flames were spreading in thick brush and had the potential to cover 10 acres, officials said.

The fire was sending a large amount of smoke over the 101 Freeway as it burned nearby. One southern lane had been blocked for a time to give firefighters better access, but officials said it reopened within two hours.

Traffic in the area, including near Shoreline Drive and the State Beach, was expected to be slowed, and firefighters urged motorists to use caution.

Hand crews and aircraft were being sent to battle the blaze, authorities said.