Avoid open burning in current dry, hot weather – dept

SEREMBAN: The Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM) urged the public not to carry out open burning activities, especially in the current dry, hot weather that the country is experiencing.

Its director-general Datuk Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said open burning should be avoided as it not only posed problems for firefighters to put it out, but it also destroyed the environment.

“Dry weather tends to ignite and spread fire faster that will make it difficult to control and to be put out.

Open burning of rubbish can also lead to grass, bush and forests fires.

Those who are engaged in mountain or hill climbing activities are also reminded to extinguished the fire correctly and not to throw cigarette butts indiscriminately as it can cause fire in the area.

“JBPM identifies the locations of bush fires, forests as well as peatland throughout the country that often experiencing fire incidents, and we are constantly monitoring and getting ready to face any situation.

For this week alone, we detect open burning in several locations in Nilai and Sepang but they are under control.

He said this to reporters after the presentation of Negeri Sembilan JBPM’s Excellence Service awards to 71 officers and personnel as well as 30year service certificates to four officers and personnel in a ceremony here yesterday. Also present was state director Norazam Khamis.

He also said that Sepang was identified as the largest peatland in the Klang Valley and very sensitive too as it was located near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

“The peatland is highly flammable especially during the hot weather and that’s why we are very careful,” he said.

Commenting on the Dragon Star 1 passenger ferry that caught on fire in Langkawi on Monday, he said the JBPM, which had its special forensic team, in collaboration with other agencies, was still investigating the cause of the fire.

In the 2.45pm incident, 52 ferry passengers were rescued after the ferry they were travelling in caught fire as it departed from Kuah Ferry Terminal, Langkawi, to Kuala Perlis.

Meanwhile, Norazam said 77 cases of bush fires and 140 cases of grass fires were reported in the state from Jan 1 to Feb 18, this year. - Bernama