Warrant in California crazy story...need help/advice?

ok so i received a smoking on the beach ticket in Malibu in the middle of august. i was unemployed at the time and so i received an extension till the end up september. then again till December. the again till January then again till February. in december i moved to spokane Washington and got a job. and started saving for my first place to live (needed because i was living with my sisters family). so when i bought my cheap place and started paying bills i realized i wasn't able to save any money really. so i call the court and ask what i can do when i live out of state and cant set a court date to ask for a payment plan. they told me to write a letter so i did. i wrote a very Professional letter to them and it got to them right before it went to a warrant. so i call they say wait for a reply in the mail. i get a reply and they say u have a warrant for your arrest in the state of california and i fine of $540 when the original ticket was only $180. im trying to do this honestly but i cant save cash and now i am worried because i have a warrant what do i do......i need some serious advice i don't wanna go to jail but it is impossible to pay 540 all at once