Fresno County News

Marijuana shops keep opening in Fresno. Here’s everywhere you can now get legal weed

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 12:30:00 +0000

Haven, just north of downtown, opened this week — just in time for the 420 holiday.

Police make an arrest of 26-year-old women who allegedly killed man outside Fresno bar

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The homicide happened April 14

Three people killed in Fresno County crash. One trailer was destroyed, CHP says

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 05:13:20 +0000

The deadly crash happened at 7 p.m Friday at Highway 41 and Nebraska Avenue.

Man suspected of shooting at CHP officer in south Sacramento arrested in Fresno County

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 01:10:17 +0000

The shooting led to a standoff Wednesday, but the suspect was not found in the Sacramento County home.

Clovis schools now more LGBTQ+ tolerant, union says. Here are the latest changes

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 22:15:13 +0000

The school psychologists union wanted to ”give the district an opportunity to do the right thing.”

A first for state water board: Probation for Tulare Lake subbasin, will require pump flow meters

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 17:09:02 +0000

Water board member said the move was needed because “we don’t have a choice.”

Costco relocation approved in Fresno. New site is $98 million investment, company says

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 16:36:36 +0000

The new store will replace the Costco on West Shaw Avenue, which is almost 40 years old.

Court rules for Fresno cops who asphyxiated unarmed man. ‘It just defies common sense’

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:45:01 +0000

The Fresno County Coroner’s Office ruled his 2017 death a homicide by asphyxiation.

Fresno has different population totals on city limits signs. Will the real number be posted?

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:00:00 +0000

The signs on Highway 41 and Highway 180 disagree about the number of people living in Fresno.

Gov. Newsom visits Shaver Lake area

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 20:28:39 +0000

Gov. Newsom visits Shaver Lake area, announces millions in wildfire prevention funding | YourCentralValley.com

The post Gov. Newsom visits Shaver Lake area appeared first on Fresno County Fire.

Gov. Newsome to address fire season preparations in Fresno County

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 20:26:11 +0000

Gov. Gavin Newsom visits Fresno County, discusses CA’s $536 million wildfire prevention plan – ABC30 Fresno

The post Gov. Newsome to address fire season preparations in Fresno County appeared first on Fresno County Fire.

Fresno County launches Ag Worker vaccination effort

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:38:00 +0000

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors and Department of Public Health (FCDPH), in collaboration with Pappas Family Farm, recently hosted the County’s the first COVID-19 vaccination event for agricultural workers.

“Farmworkers are among our most vulnerable populations because they work in close proximity to each other and then go home, often to households with multi-generational living arrangements, reducing their abilities to social distance,” says Fresno County District 1 Board of Supervisor Brian Pacheco. “Vaccinating essential farmworkers, ensures safety to their workplaces, their homes and families, our food supply, and the vital service they perform.”

As part of an effort to efficiently deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to the 70,000 Food and Ag workers in Fresno County, the FCDPH has designed a small-scale project called the “Food & Ag Vaccination Initiative”, with the goal to vaccinate 3,000 food & Ag workers beginning the final week of January 2021. The initiative will help to exercise processes and efficiencies that will ultimately help to provide vaccines to the Valley’s most critical and underserved workforce.

This initial vaccination effort will be carried out in various facilities (including both indoor and outdoor workers). In addition, this initiative will help Fresno County streamline procedures as the county prepares for the mass vaccination of this industry and will foster implementation strategies in other sectors of the workforce.

This first vaccination event was only available for Pappas employees and saw 50 staff receive their initial vaccine dose.

Fresno County Board of Supervisors announce COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic, provide update on County vaccination efforts

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 17:27:00 +0000

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors recently held a press conference to announce the opening of a large scale COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Fresno Fairgrounds. The clinic is designed to deliver as many as 1,500 vaccine doses per day for those eligible in accordance with the vaccine schedule established by the State of California.

Those first to receive vaccine doses at the Fairgrounds Clinic include frontline healthcare workers and Fresno County resident aged 75 years and older. Appointments will be made available and additional groups will become eligible to receive the vaccine as the State allocates more doses for distribution in Fresno County and the supply becomes available.

Those interested in receiving a COVID-19 are asked to stay connected to Fresno County’s vaccination website for details of vaccine availability, appointments/registration, eligibility criteria, and additional information as it is updated regularly at www.fcdph.org/covid19vax.

Schedule updated 1/14/2021

State Route 41 detour in Fresno County scheduled for January 12, 2021

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 12:52:00 +0000

News release issued by Caltrans District 6, Wednesday, January 6, 2021

The Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announces the temporary closure of State Route 41 between Excelsior Avenue and Elkhorn Avenue in Fresno County. Caltrans maintenance crews will be performing striping operations during this time.

The following closures will be in effect on Tuesday, January 12, weather permitting:

Northbound and southbound State Route 41 between Excelsior Avenue and Elkhorn Avenue between 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

A signed detour will be available; see attached detour map. Significant delays are expected. Please remember to allow additional time to safely arrive at your destination. Seeking alternate routes is highly suggested while these operations occur.

After the completion of this safety project, this 5-mile stretch of State Route 41 between Excelsior Avenue and Elkhorn Avenue will permanently transition to a no-passing zone. For added safety, permanent “No Passing Zone” signage will be added to this stretch of highway as well. Temporary Changeable Message Signs (CMS) will remain in the area for several days following the completion of the project to help inform motorists of these changes.

Caltrans wants to remind motorists to stay attentive and undistracted while driving and to be cognizant of workers and vehicles in maintenance work zones.

Caltrans would like to thank residents and commuters for their patience and remember to please “Slow for the Cone Zone.”

# # #

Fresno County District 2 Supervisor, Steve Brandau, named 2021 Board of Supervisors Chairman

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 15:01:00 +0000

Today the Fresno County Board of Supervisors marked their first meeting of 2021 with the designation of Board officers and the swearing in of elected officials.

District 2 Supervisor, Steve Brandau, was named Board of Supervisors Chairman through 2021, while District 1 Supervisor, Brian Pacheco, will serve as Vice Chairman. The roles of Chairman and Vice Chairman were held in 2020 by Supervisors Buddy Mendes and Brandau, respectively.

The roles of Chairman and Vice Chairman are served in 12-month terms, rotating annually between Supervisors.

Supervisors Brandau, Quintero, Magsig sworn in following their reelection

In addition to the designations of Chairman and Vice Chairman, Supervisor Brandau also joined with fellow Supervisors Sal Quintero and Nathan Magsig in taking the oath of office for their respective positions following their reelection. All three were reelected in the March 3, 2020 primary election.

This is the second elected term for each. Supervisor Brandau was first elected during a special election in March of 2019, at which time he replaced Andreas Borgeas, who had departed to assume his role as California State Senator. Supervisors Quintero and Magsig were first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2016, assuming their offices in 2017.

Creek Fire Information (559) 600-INFO (4636)

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 00:08:26 +0000

Here is a link to County of Fresno website for Creek Fire information.

https://www.co.fresno.ca.us/departments/public-health/fresno-county-emergency?locale=en

Residents can find information on the following:

Creek Fire Recovery Resources

Creek Fire Information Line

Prepare for Disaster Info

Creek Fire Evacuation Zone Maps

Tree Removal

Debris Removal

Rebuilding Info

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Fresno County Dept of Social Services reminds public of multiple ways to apply for and access services

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 22:40:07 +0000

In these difficult times, there may be services available that can help families get through. Many families are experiencing challenges that they never thought they would face. The Fresno County Department of Social Services (DSS) may be able to help. There are a variety of ways for Fresno County residents to apply for and access assistance and services.

“For much of the last year we have adapted our services to continue meeting the needs of those we serve while also protecting health and safety of our clients and our staff,” says Delfino Neira, Director of the Department of Social Services. “Despite the challenges of a pandemic, the many diverse needs within our community remain and the demand has only increased. While services may look different, we are committed to ensuring all who need assistance have options to safely access the resources they need.”

DSS administers a wide variety of programs that can help residents in need. These include help with food, health insurance, job training, homeless assistance, and emergency cash assistance. There are several ways the community can access DSS services:

Find general information at www.fresnocountyca.gov/DSSassist
Apply for services online at www.MyBenefitscalwin.org
Call the DSS Service Center at 1-855-832-8082

The Department of Social Services is launching a local information and awareness campaign this week to help encourage Fresno County residents to take advantage of these resources should they need assistance.

For more information, please visit www.fresnocountyca.gov/DSSassist

# # #

County of Fresno Response to California’s COVID-19 Mitigation Measures

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 19:28:00 +0000

A message from:

Jean Rousseau, Fresno County Administrative Officer;

David Pomaville, Director, Fresno County Department of Public Health;

Dr. Rais Vohra, Interim Health Officer, County of Fresno

In response to the continued surge of COVID-19 cases throughout Fresno County, the State of California, and much of the country, California has again imposed strict measures to help curb the increases and protect public health and safety from this dangerous virus.

In Fresno County we are again faced with the closure of schools and businesses, continued economic hardships, and a challenged healthcare system working tirelessly to keep up with the demands of this typically taxing time of year compounded by a growing influx of COVID-19.

As the pandemic stretches on into yet another month of restrictions and health orders, it has long been exhausting. It’s emotional. It’s overwhelming, stressful, and frustrating.

Many families and teachers are struggling to navigate the uncharted waters of distance learning to deliver an education to our children. Others are challenged by the continued isolation and separation from loved ones. And while we continue our efforts to offer support and resources for our struggling business community in any way that we can, we recognize that the hardships brought by continued restrictions and closures for many are becoming too overwhelming to overcome.

The County has been hard at work all year doing our best to provide the information, tools and necessary resources to all corners of our community to help educate and provide protective measures that will help keep people safe and return our whole community to a state of normalcy.

The work and measures being taken are not arbitrary actions of an overbearing, anonymous government entity. Rather these are the thoughtful and reasoned actions of fellow community members with expertise in healthcare, science, and public safety, charged to make these difficult decisions and implement measures that can protect against threats like COVID-19.

None of these decisions are taken lightly. Stay at home orders, school closures, business closures, isolation and all that continues to accompany the response to COVID-19 is not what anyone wants, and the impacts affect everyone.

However, it’s important to realize that without these types of measures in place and in the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine, the impacts of an unchecked pandemic beyond what they have already been would be tragically exponential.

Despite our personal feelings, we all share in our responsibility to maintain effective safety measures to protect ourselves, our loved ones, our friends, our coworkers and our community from further spread of COVID-19.

If we want our kids back in school and businesses to open back up, we all need to wear masks to prevent further spread and drop our case numbers down.

If we want to get back to traditional celebrations, large family gatherings and regular church services, we all must continue to practice social distancing and virtual alternatives to prevent further outbreaks.

If we want sports and entertainment options for our kids, ourselves and our community, we all must maintain good hygiene practices to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

If we want a healthcare system and public safety workforce back to full strength, we all must stay home if we feel sick so that we stop exposing others, particularly those most vulnerable, to this devastating virus.

There is understandably some uncertainty about enforcement of this new mandate. Considering that Fresno County is more than 6,000 square miles with a population of more than 1,000,000 people, it is unrealistic to task code enforcement and public safety officials numbering in the hundreds with monitoring curfew requirements, business practices, mask usage and private family gatherings across this expanse in addition to their standard duties to protect life and safety.

However, this does not absolve us of our individual and collective responsibility to take these measures seriously and practice them for the benefit of our whole community. It will take us all working together to turn the corner on this pandemic.

In the meantime, our hospitals, critical care facilities, trauma centers, and the rest of the emergency medical care system are experiencing extraordinary burdens as a result of direct and indirect effects of this ongoing pandemic.

Make no mistake: we are at a critical, and hopefully final, stage in a war against a microscopic enemy that has substantially disrupted our lives, our traditions, and our livelihoods. We may disagree about how best to beat this virus, but we need to recognize that we are on the same team, united against a common enemy. So, let’s finish strong, Fresno County!

We must come together, act together, and work together at this critical point. Our choices now will help to determine our path moving forward and allow us to recover as quickly as possible. Working together and making safety our top priority will help get our kids back in school, open our businesses, get our economy back on track and, most importantly, help save the lives of those we love.

For more info: https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/

# # #

Fresno County Holiday Office Closures

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 21:02:02 +0000

The County of Fresno wishes you and yours a very happy and safe holiday season and a wonderful New Year!

In observance of the upcoming holidays, please note that Fresno County offices will be closed to the public on the following dates:

Thanksgiving – November 26-27, 2020
Christmas – Friday, December 25, 2020
New Year’s Day – Friday, January 1, 2021

The following County offices will observe additional closures or modified hours as noted below from now through the end of the year:

Assessor

Closed Friday, Dec. 25, 2020 through Jan. 1, 2021

Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

Closed Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 through Jan 1, 2021

County Administrative Office

Closes at Noon, Thursday, Dec. 24
Closed Friday, Dec. 25, 2020 through Jan. 1, 2021

Department of Agriculture

Closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31

Department of Public Health

Closes at Noon, Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31.

District Attorney

Closes at Noon, Wednesday, Nov. 25, and Thursday, Dec. 31
Closed Thursday, Dec. 24,

Child Support Services

Closed Wednesday, Nov. 25; Thursday, Dec. 24, and Thursday, Dec. 31.

Fresno County Employees’ Retirement Association

Closed Wednesday, Nov 25; Thursday, Dec. 24, and Thursday, Dec. 31.

Human Resources

Closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31

Internal Services

Closes at Noon, Wednesday, Nov. 25 and Thursday, Dec. 31
Closed Thursday, Dec. 24
Closes at 4pm, Dec. 28-30

Probation Department

Closes at Noon, Nov. 24, Dec. 24 and Dec. 31

County Public Library

Closes 5pm, Wednesday, Nov. 25
Closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31

Public Defender

Closes at 1:00 PM, Wednesday, Nov. 25, Thursday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 31

Public Works and Planning

Closed Thursday, Dec 24 and Thursday, Dec 31

Fresno County’s 2020-21 Secured Property Tax Bill – First Installment Delinquency Date is Thursday, December 10, 2020

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 23:02:00 +0000

Fresno County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector, Oscar J. Garcia, reminds all taxpayers that the first installment of the 2020-21 Fresno County Secured Property Tax Bill will be considered delinquent, if not paid by 5:00 PM on December 10, 2020.

“In this critical time of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the revenue generated in large extent from timely property tax payments is necessary to keep vital public safety services operating in order to meet the continued needs of the public,” says Garcia. “All County of Fresno property tax revenues stay in the County to fund critical public health and safety services, to make payments for voter-approved school bonds, and to provide tax revenues to other local government entities within the County, including all cities and special districts within the County.”

A ten-percent penalty will be added to all payments received in the office after 5:00 PM unless postmarked by the United States Postal Service on or before December 10, 2020.

However, for those taxpayers who were financially affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Governor signed Executive Order N-61-20, granting County Tax Collectors the ability to cancel penalties, costs, and interest for taxes not timely paid on certain properties that were not delinquent prior to March 4, 2020. Relief from penalties, costs, and interest for property taxes not timely paid is available for residential real property occupied by the taxpayer and for real property owned and operated by a taxpayer that qualifies as a small business under the Small Business Administration’s Regulations, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 13, section 121.201.

A form titled Request for Penalty Cancellation – COVID-19 Impact will be available on the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector’s website in mid-December for those taxpayers who do not make a timely payment by December 10, 2020 due to reasons directly related to COVID-19. A completed form along with the required supporting documentation and payment in full (base tax plus penalty) must be submitted for your request of penalty cancellation to be reviewed. Additional instructions including the required supporting documentation will be available as a part of the form.

Submittal of a penalty cancellation form will not guarantee approval; therefore, those taxpayers capable of making their tax payment by the December 10, 2020 delinquency date are encouraged to do so. Timely payment will avoid the potential of penalties being incurred if their penalty cancellation request is later denied.

Adds Garcia, “I understand and share the public’s anxiety and concern about the impacts of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. I am taking precautions to provide several options for taxpayers to safely make timely payments and help to ensure the health and safety of the public and our staff are protected.”

AVAILABLE PAYMENT OPTIONS:

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE: Payments made by check and money order should include a tax bill stub and made payable to “Fresno County Tax Collector”. Payments by mail should be sent to:

FRESNO COUNTY TAX-COLLECTOR

P.O. BOX 1192

FRESNO, CA 93715-1192

PAY BY PHONE or ONLINE: Payments can be made by credit card (2.25% fee), Debit Card ($3.29 fee), and eCheck ($1.50 fee) by calling our automated phone system at 559-600-3482 or by visiting our website at: https://www2.co.fresno.ca.us/0410/FresnoTTCPaymentApplication/.

PAYMENT DROP BOXES: Two drop boxes will be available at the locations below to deposit your check or money order payments from November 30 until 5:00 PM on December 10, 2020. Photos of each location will be posted to our website as soon as possible.

One at the parking lot of the Hall of Records, 2281 Tulare Street, Fresno CA 93721

One at the parking lot of the Dept. of Social Services Campus located at W. Pontiac and Pelco Way in Clovis

LOBBY OF THE HALL OF RECORDS: We highly recommend that you make your payment online or by mailing in your check or money order. However, if you want a receipt or need to pay with cash, you must pay at this location. Please be aware that before you will be allowed entrance into the building, you must pass a COVID-19 symptoms screening which includes a temperature check. In addition, you must wear a mask the entire time you are in the building.

EXTENDED HOURS: Beginning November 30 through December 10, 2020, our office will be open from 7:30 to 8:00 AM, Monday through Friday exclusively to accommodate those taxpayers age 60 and older and those who have conditions that put them in a high-risk category for complications from COVID-19. On Saturday, December 5, 2020, our office will be open from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM for all taxpayers. To help keep members of the public and staff safe during these difficult times, taxpayers are encouraged to pay online or mail their payments if possible.

FAILURE TO RECEIVE A TAX BILL DOES NOT RELIEVE THE TAXPAYER OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE TIMELY PAYMENTS.

Anyone who has recently acquired property must verify the taxes have been paid. Tax information and payments may be obtained by accessing the Fresno County website at www.fresnocountyca.gov or by calling our automated phone system at (559) 600-3482.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Under what circumstances could a property tax deadline be extended?

A. Pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code section 2619, if the Tax Collector’s office is closed, the next business day that it is open is when the deadline applies.

Q. Can the County waive the associated service fee of 2.25% for credit card payments online and over the phone?

A. No. The County cannot waive the associated service fee of 2.25% for credit card transactions because the fees are charged by our credit card payment processor to facilitate the transactions. As a reminder, there is only a $3.21 fee for debit card and $1.50 fee for e-Check payments.

Q. Will property tax amounts be reduced due to the economic impact of COVID-19?

A. No. Property values are established on the lien date of January 1 of each year. The property tax amounts currently due for the 2020-21 secured taxes are based on a lien date of January 1, 2020, and therefore, no reduction will be made to the current bill. Should you have any questions related to a decline-in-value or business personal property valuations, please contact the Office of the Assessor at 559-600-3534 or visit their website at https://www.co.fresno.ca.us/departments/assessor.

Q. I am expecting a property tax refund. Will this refund be delayed by COVID-19?

A. State law requires the Tax Collector to issue refunds for replicated payments within 60 days of the date the initial payment is not subject to chargeback, dishonor, or reversal. However, due to the current State of Emergency, we may experience unusual delays in meeting this timeframe. # # #

Groundwater mapping helicopter to make low-level flights over areas surrounding Fresno

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 21:30:00 +0000

SkyTEM Airborne Electromagnetic System in flight (from https://skytem.com)

The following information was released by Aqua Geo Frameworks, LLC on Monday, November 18, 2020.

Beginning approximately November 23, 2020 residents of the areas surrounding west and south of Fresno – including the communities of Fowler, Kingsburg, Lemon Cove, Orange Cove, Orosi, Parlier, Piedra, Reedley, Sanger, Selma, Woodlake – may see a low-flying helicopter towing a large hexagonal frame. This unique equipment is part of a project to further map groundwater aquifers and subsurface geology in the area.

Stanford University, working with Aqua Geo Frameworks LLC, have planned the flight to improve our understanding of the area’s groundwater resources, in particular the way in which snowmelt from the Sierras recharges the aquifers in the Central Valley. Stanford’s study is being funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (grant number GBMF6189).

Groundwater is an important source of water in California and improving our knowledge of the groundwater system will help local agencies determine how best to protect our existing groundwater supplies.

This technique has been used in California before and has been shown to provide useful information that can be used to better manage natural resources.

Scientific equipment hangs about 100 feet below the helicopter in a ’spider web’ array and is designed to map geologic structures and groundwater resources down to approximately 900 feet below the land surface. The helicopter will be flown by pilots who are specially trained for low-level flying and their flight path is designed to get the best available underground data. The helicopters are flown by Sinton Helicopters out of Paso Robles.

Since data can only be collected over open spaces, no data collection will occur over residential areas, livestock feeding operations, or other buildings. After the flights, Stanford University will use the data to develop an improved understanding of recharge in the area. An update on their work will be available at https://gemcenter.stanford.edu/research-projects.

Security Alert: Official County Ballot Drop Boxes

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 20:28:54 +0000

There have been recent reports of groups promoting unofficial ballot drop boxes that are not affiliated with Fresno County Elections. In some instances they are promoting these ballot drop boxes as “official” or “secure.” The use of unauthorized, non-official ballot drop boxes is prohibited by state law.

Voters who want to return their ballot at a drop box should only use official county drop boxes. Official ballot drop boxes are clearly recognizable, designed to meet state standards for security, and bear the official Fresno County Elections logo. Fresno County’s Official Ballot Drop Boxes look like this:

According to Brandi Orth, Fresno County Clerk/ Registrar of Voters, “Fresno County has more than doubled the number of drop boxes required by the state. We have a total of 66 (32 are required) official drop boxes spread throughout the county. We strongly recommend that voters utilize an official ballot drop box to return their ballot. Ballots are picked up daily by identifiable elections staff in official vehicles.”

Locations of official Fresno County Elections drop boxes can be found at: http://www.votefresnocounty.com

Tips for voters:

Make a plan to vote. You can return your vote-by-mail using the prepaid postage return envelope or by bringing it to any official drop box, voting location, or County elections office.
- Voters can also choose someone to return their ballot. Only choose someone you trust to return your ballot. You and the other person must sign the back of The return envelope. Never give your ballot to someone else unless you have completed, signed, and sealed the return envelope.
Sign up for ballot tracking. You can sign-up at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov to get automatic notifications by text message (SMS), email, or voice message about the status of your vote-by-mail ballot. You’ll be notified once your county has received your ballot, once it has been counted, and if there are any issues with the ballot.
Get information on voting from trusted, official sources—the county elections office and the Secretary of State. Resources for Fresno county voters are available at: http://www.votefresnocounty.com The Secretary of State has resources for California voters at www.vote.ca.gov.

Fresno County firefighters responding to more grass fires as fire season heats up

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 15:35:18 +0000

FRESNO COUNTY, California. (KGPE/KSEE) — As firefighters end a busy Fourth of July weekend, they start a new week filled with grass fires.

Tuesday afternoon in Fresno County, a grass fire torched 15 acres, damaging several structures in its path.

Firefighters say it’s been a busy fire season so far, and it’s not over yet.

Flames raced across the grass near Fowler and Teague avenues Tuesday, torching a barn, an outbuilding, and a vacant mobile home.

“With the combination of the dry grass and winds we’ve been having lately, the grass fire moves very fast,” said CalFire Fresno Battalion Chief Seth Brown.

The quick-moving fire threatened homes and caused road closures as 50 firefighters and 15 engines responded.

“On a fast-moving fire from the wind like today, just as fast as we can bring fire engines into the area to fight the fire, the fire has already moved 50, 100 feet,” said Brown.

Brown says the weather is getting hotter which is causing the grass to dry out, making ripe conditions for fires. He says it’s important people clear the area around their home from anything that can ignite, like long grass or wood.

“An ember or spark from a nearby fire can land near your house and potentially catch your home on fire,” said Brown.

On Monday, a grass fire crept close to homes in Southeast Fresno near Pitt and Florence Avenues. With grass fires on the rise, Brown asks everyone to do their part.

“If there is a fire in the area even if you are curious and want to come see it, please avoid the area, that allows us plenty of room so we can get our engines in,” said Brown.

The official cause of both grass fires is still under investigation.

https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/fresno-county-firefighters-responding-to-more-grass-fires-as-fire-season-heats-up/

https://twitter.com/kirsten_tv/status/1280925864666951680?s=21

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CAL Fire/Fresno County Fire’s fire prevention contest letting kids be creative – ABC30 Fresno

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 20:22:18 +0000

The nine-year-old was named one of six winners of Cal Fire Fresno County’s fire prevention video contest. “It was fun and exciting because I got to share my video with everyone,” Villegas said.

https://abc30.com/fire-safety-prevention-cal/6259120/

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Firefighters battle green wast fire in Southeast Fresno

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 16:39:34 +0000

CAL FIRE Fresno County firefighters responded to the building on East North Avenue and Maple Avenue Sunday afternoon.

Officials say firefighters worked to keep the flames away from nearby buildings.

https://abc30.com/firefighters-battle-green-waste-fire-in-southeast-fresno/5716863/

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CAL FIRE/Fresno County Fire spread holiday cheer to burn survivors

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 16:32:00 +0000

Every holiday season, Cal Fire/Fresno County Fire has a tradition of giving back to the community. This year, they decided to put together holiday gift bags and hand them out to burn survivors at the Leon S. Peters Burn Center at Community Regional Medical Center.

https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/med-watch-today/medwatch-today-cal-fire-fresno-county-fire-spread-holiday-cheer-to-burn-survivors/

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Gas leak from boiler prompts school evacuation in Parlier

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 16:21:17 +0000

Students and staff at S. Ben Benevidez Elementary School in Parlier were evacuated from the campus for about an hour as firefighters investigated a possible gas leak.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article238020094.html

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Firefighters battle massive house fire in Fresno County

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 16:29:12 +0000

Firefighters battle massive house fire in Fresno County

https://abc30.com/firefighters-battle-massive-house-fire-in-fresno-county/5634925/

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Fresno Co. firefighters return home after aiding firefight in Southern California

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 16:24:00 +0000

Fresno County firefighters spent the last two days at a vegetation fire in Riverside County.

https://abc30.com/fresno-co-firefighters-return-home-after-aiding-firefight-in-socal/5616595/

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