Fire crews stay busy as multiple fires spark in the Central Valley

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fire crews were busy all across Madera and Fresno County Saturday, responding to various fires.

Madera County firefighters were mopping up at this property on Marciel Avenue after a fire burned three acres just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Firefighters say the flames started because a property owner was welding outside. 10 vehicles and two boats were damaged in the fire.

"Firefighters made a good, aggressive attack and were able to defend three structures around the property," Madera County Fire Battalion Chief Frank Johnson said.

The fire did threaten several structures on the property, but none of them were damaged.

As crews rushed to put the fire out, the winds affected firefighting efforts.

"10-12 mph doesn't sound like a lot, but when you have fire on the ground and it's blowing in all different directions, if it's blowing continuously in a straight line, that's one thing, but in this case, it was blowing in a 360," Johnson said.

But the defensible space around the home helped crews get the fire quickly under control.

"Defensible space is huge because it's your defensible space, so we always urge homeowners to take a proactive approach," Johnson said.

In Fresno County, CAL FIRE crews were battling the Mallard Fire on Morgan Canyon and Millerton Road.

Firefighters were able to stop the fire at three acres but one outbuilding was destroyed.

Thick, black smoke poured out of a home in southwest Fresno on Walnut and North avenues.

Firefighters say flames were shooting out of the roof of the home.

"Our first crews arrived and found heavy fire in one of the structures involved," Fresno Fire Battalion Chief Brian Downs said. "It was spreading to an additional second structure. our crews were able to stop the fire and contain it to its origin."

The Fresno Fire Department says one building did have some exterior damage, but no one was injured.

Investigators are looking into what sparked the flames.

"It appears that it probably started in one of the outbuildings and then spread to the house," Downs said. "The fire spread very quickly. There's a lot of dry grass around the property."

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