Negligence is all it takes to spark huge fire, warns Fire Dept
KUALA LUMPUR: A carelessly discarded cigarette butt, an unattended pile of burning rubbish or a small fire used to clear land could be all it takes to ignite a major bush or peat fire during the current hot and dry spell.
KUALA LUMPUR – A negligent act such as discarding a cigarette butt, leaving a pile of burning rubbish unattended, or using fire for land clearing during a hot, dry spell could ignite a massive bush or peat fire, warns the Fire and Rescue Department. Director-General Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohamad explained that extended dry weather had stripped moisture from vegetation, turning it into fuel for fires.
While heat alone doesn't necessarily cause major fire incidents, it creates an environment where even a minor ignition source can rapidly grow into a larger blaze. Strong winds can exacerbate the problem by carrying flames across dry vegetation, expanding the area that firefighters must contain. The warning follows a surge in open-burning incidents nationwide, with the number of cases jumping from 53 on August 20 to over 200 by August 23.
The Fire and Rescue Department is urging people to avoid burning rubbish and garden waste, and to never leave fires unattended during these conditions. Open burning is an offense under Section 29A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, and the department will coordinate with other enforcement agencies if evidence of illegal burning is found during firefighting efforts.
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