Dept: Big drop in Johor open burning cases

Bomba personnel briefing the media during the course on Wednesday.

JOHOR BARU: There has been a big drop in the number of open burning cases in Johor in the first three months of the year despite the heatwave.

Until the end of March, 610 cases of open burning were recorded compared to 2,721 during the same period last year.

Most of the cases were forest and bush fires, which totalled 421, followed by burning of rubbish (85) and open burning at farms (55).

Johor Fire and Rescue Department director Othman Abdullah attributed the drop to joint efforts by his department and local authorities, including the Land Office.

"Enforcement efforts also singled out repeat offenders where the land owner was issued warning letters if open burning was found in the same location.

"So far, the Land Office issued four warning letters to land owners in Muar, Kempas in Johor Baru and Lepau in Pengerang," he said when opening the "Bomba with the Media" course at the department's headquarters here on Wednesday.