(Joe Ybarra Reporting)
Firefighters are doing what they can to stay safe in the Valley heat.
In the South Valley, the Dinuba Fire Department had to deal with tripe digit heat while putting out a house fire on Sunday.
The temperatures add a level of danger because of the hot, heavy equipment they must wear, so they need to take breaks and stay hydrated.
Dinuba Fire Chief Chad Thompson said, "To stay in their turnouts and be working as hard as they were for a long period of time in that heat is not possible."
Dinuba Fire Captain Frank Guerra said, "It's 100 degrees outside, you're looking at losing probably about 5, maybe 10 pounds on a regular structure fire just on sweat itself."
When on a fire, Captain Guerra keeps an eye on his crew, making sure firefighters take breaks and stay hydrated to avoid heat exhaustion. "It's just a matter of watching the crew and how they are reacting."
Chief Thompson says his firefighters work hard, no matter what the conditions are, and Sunday fire was no exception. "If they were lucky, they got maybe 10, 15 minutes rest and then they were back at it again."
Firefighters say things are just starting to pick up and know they have a hot, busy summer ahead because of the dry conditions.