Wildfire season officially began in the Bay Area this week, but Calfire said its crews never went "out of season."
The state has seen a spike in fires this year than it normally averages per year. In January, for example, Calfire recorded more than 400 fires.
"That's a time of year when on average we typically have zero -- or very few fires," Calfire Chief Ken Pimlott said. "So already we are off to a very significant start."
In San Jose, the fire department will begin staffing their seasonal brush fire patrols on Sunday.
Half a dozen stations will have crews ready 24 hours a day to respond to wildfires, officials said.
"A lot of our park ponds in the city are bone dry," San Jose Fire Department Capt. Reggie Williams said. "They're not going to be able to get any water out of those things."
Fire officials are calling on residents to prepare for the wildfire season by clearing 100 feet of space around their homes.
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"What we're asking the public to do is provide that defense," Pimlott said. "It's critical that the public hears the message that we are in critical fire danger statewide."
