Now firefighters are urging everyone to take a few simple steps to protect themselves and their families.
A good Samaritan jumped into action last Thursday, when he rescued an elderly man from a burning apartment at a senior citizen village in Southeast Fresno. The victim has since passed away.
A similar scenario unfolded in West Central Fresno two weeks prior. A woman was pulled from her burning mobile home. She also died from her injuries.
Fire officials say scenes like these could easily happen again -- which is why they're hoping people will use daylight saving time wisely.
"It's a great reminder to change your batteries in your smoke detector. Basically we recommend you do that twice a year when your spring forward and you fall back," said Koby Johns with the Fresno Fire Department.
Koby Johns with the Fresno Fire Department says smoke detectors should also be dusted and tested every two weeks to ensure they function properly.
Another reminder -- check the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors, which are now required by law.
Other tips include -- make sure you have a working fire extinguisher as well as an exit plan.
"It's a good time to have a pre-staged route of how to get out of your house quickly and where to all meet, so when we show, we know, is everybody out or not?"
And while not all fires can be prevented, experts say following these simple steps will minimize your chances of becoming a victim.
The Fresno Fire Department says on average, there are two structure fires every day in the city. In the majority of those cases, the smoke detector was either not working, or not in the home at all.
