KOTA BARU: The Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) received 156 phone calls related to plantation and bush fires in the state from February up till today following the current dry weather.
Kelantan JBPM director Nazili Mahmood, said its early findings showed that many of the cases were due to human negligence.
“So far there have been a total of 541 cases of fire from January. The number of bush fires have been high because there are parties that have carried out open burning and later, they (fires) become uncontrolled.
“Recently in Bachok, we took three days to extinguish 11.7ha of peat land fires that also destroyed oil palm and rubber estates there,” he said after attending the Kelantan JBPM Monthly Assembly here today.
At the event, a total of 46 firefighters received Commendable Service Certificates for their exemplary performance in carrying out their duties.
Nazili said that among the difficulties it experienced in extinguishing fires was in finding adequate water supply because of the drop in river water levels in the area.
So, to avoid such incidents, the public has been advised not to carry out open burning to prevent massive fires that could endanger property and life.
“The hot weather in the state has contributed to temperatures rising to between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius and fires can easily occur if we ignore safety,“ he said. — Bernama
