(UPDATED: 2:20 p.m.) Montgomery County firefighters are battling a series of about six brush fires that began along the right side of northbound I-270 this afternoon.

MCFRS officials on the scene have also requested the fire marshall to help investigate what started the fires. There were no reported auto fires along I-270 at the time the fire started.

The fires extend almost half a mile from the Beltway and Rockville Pike exits onto 270 to Rockledge Drive.

One lane of traffic is getting by on left shoulder and traffic is backed up onto the outer loop of the Bethesda.

Firefighters were working to protect townhomes on Englishman Drive, in the Grosvenor complex, where one of the fires threatened a property.