The weather is heating up, and apparently so is the urge to drink and drive in Mariposa County. The number of driving under the influence (DUI) arrests has spiked in recent weeks.

In the period from June 22 through 27, a total of 10 people were booked into the Mariposa County Jail for DUI charges. There was one arrest on June 22, and one each on June 23 and 24.

Things got very busy on June 25 with three DUI arrests. On June 26 and 27, law enforcement arrested two people each day on the same charges.

The previous week wasn’t much better. From June 15 to 20, six people were also arrested for the same charge. Three of those arrests came on June 20 alone.

Mariposa County Sheriff Brian Muller said DUI arrests are up significantly from last year. The sheriff’s office has arrested 37 people for DUI this year, compared to 27 last year. Twenty-four of the 37 arrests have come in the last three months alone, compared to just 13 during the same period in 2009.

Those figures do not includes arrests made by the local office of the California Highway Patrol. Muller said he doesn’t think it’s hotter weather that’s is contributing to the spike, because the spring was so cool.

“I think that at least part of the increase is the result of greater awareness and enforcement by the deputies,” Muller said. “But I believe the greater factor is that more people are drinking and choosing to drive.”

As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, law enforcements agencies are warning drivers against getting behind the wheel if they have been drinking.

The California Highway Patrol will be in a maximum enforcement period beginning Friday, July 2. The stepped-up staffing will continue through Sunday, July 4.