Local Firefighters Spread Out Across California

June 18, 2012 Updated Jun 18, 2012 at 6:36 PM PDT

Firefighters expected a busy fire season.

With all the fires going over the weekend, and today, resources are spread out, and officials are urging prevention.

Last night, Mariposa CalFire says a car with a bad catalytic converter sparked 16 small fires from Road 208 all the way into Oakhurst.

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish each of those.

The driver was not cited, but could be forced to pay for damages.

Then, this morning, Fresno firefighters battled two blazes, just two hours apart.

The first happened at about 6am at Franklin and Arthur.

No one was inside, and the building was a total loss.

Robert Van Tassel, Fresno Fire Captain: "The remains of the large building in the background had fire coming out of the 3 or 4 front garage doors. Within a couple minutes, it had fire coming through the roof."

The second fire happened about a mile away from the first fire, at about 8am, on the 500 block of Safford.

It was an abandoned home, but witnesses say several people were seen running from the fire just after it started.

Investigators suspect arson is to blame for this incident.

Capt. Van Tassel: "As the day wears on here, the amount of time and effort they put into these two fires will certainly take its toll if we have additional fires."

Outside of town, CalFire's keeping busy.

Fresno crews fought 22 vegetation fires locally over the weekend, and CalFire crews from across the valley are fighting fires down in Riverside, and in San Diego.

Firefighters are urging residents to take precaution now...

A dry summer has already begun, temperatures are at, or flirt with, triple digits, and the 4th of July is just a couple weeks away.

John Dominguez, CalFire: "By them helping us, is there defensible space. We'll bring the offense, they provide the defense."

One type of prevention firefighters are urging is this:

If you're driving on the outskirts of town, or into the foothills where conditions are really dry, and you have to pull over, make sure you do so over an area clear of dry grass.

Firefighters are also want to remind residents to have 100 feet of defensible space.