Fire crews remain busy as several fires break out in the Central Valley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Defensible space is huge because it’s your defensible space, which is why we always urge property owners to take a proactive approach,” Johnson said.

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

Firefighters were able to extinguish the three-acre fire, but one outbuilding was destroyed.

Thick black smoke billowed from a southwest Fresno home at Walnut and North avenues.

According to firefighters, flames were coming from the roof of the house.

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

The Fresno Fire Department said one building sustained exterior damage, but no one was injured.

Investigators are trying to find out what started the flames.

“It looks like it probably started in one of the outbuildings and then spread to the house,” Downs said. “The fire spread very quickly. There is a lot of dry grass around the property.”

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