People in fire-prone areas get warning on open burning

PETALING JAYA: The Fire and Rescue Department has cautioned people against open burning in the five most fire-prone forest areas in the country.

Assistant director-general of fire and rescue operations Zulkarnain Mohd Kassim said that “in most cases, the main reason for the fires is forest clearing”.

“It is largely the people, not the heatwave, that is to blame for any fires breaking out this season.”

The fire-prone areas are Kam­pung Sri Gombak Indah, Batu Caves, and Sungai Tinggi, both in Selangor; the North-South Express­way Central Link; Bunang, Keningau, in Sabah; and Baling in Kedah.

Zulkarnain said if there was any open burning that could not be avoided, it must be done on a moderate scale. “And don’t leave the area until you have seen the last spark snuffed out,” he said.

According to him, there were fewer cases of forest fires this year.There were 6,893 cases from January to March, compared to 23,253 cases in 2014 and 11,706 last year during the same period, he said.

He added that the department had sufficient manpower to handle any fires that may break out.

It was also running awareness campaigns to educate people against using fire to clear their land.

Forest fire prevention measures and fire safety tips are available at its website, www.bomba.gov.my.