The pungent smell of smoke still permeated the air on the 1800 block of Third Street in Macon Friday. Firefighters say a vacant home went up in flames around 4:30 a.m.

Just one house away, 19-year-old Jarvis Calloway awoke to the sound of crackling wood.

"It's really crazy, hearing a big boom, and you know, just looking out the window and seeing the house is just blazing on fire," Calloway said.

Calloway believes the fire had been burning awhile before he called 9-1-1 around 5 a.m. It's the sixth arson in Bibb County so far this year.

Macon Bibb Fire Department Training Chief Reco Stephens says arson statistics for 2012 are still being compiled.

"So that we know what direction that we're heading in, and what types of things we can do to prevent anymore arson fires," Stephens said.

Stepehens says the most important thing people can do to prevent arson is to report any suspicious activity, he also says vacant homes should be properly secured. Many arsons happen when the homeless use empty houses for shelter, and a fire ignited for warmth gets out of hand.

Trash and old furniture littered the side yard at the scene of Bibb'[s most recent suspected arson, indicating someone may have been squatting on the property, but Calloway says the fire that destroyed the home, was most likely not an accident.

"I guess they do it for fun, i guess they think it's fun but, it's really crazy," Calloway said.

Stephens says Bibb County averages around 50 arsons a year, so the six that have happened so far in 2013 would be a slight increase. He says statistics for the last three years have been steady, but people should still be vigilant.