PETALING JAYA: In just the first month of 2022, the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) received 1,070 reports of open burning, with more potentially expected amid the hot and dry spell in the country.
Open burning cases nationwide, which declined during the Covid-19 pandemic from 28,907 cases in 2019 to 19,091 in 2020 and down to 16,932 in 2021, are mainly caused by human activities such as the burning of bushes, shrubs and waste, says Bomba.
Its operations division director Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said with the current weather, the potential of open burning occurring in hotspot areas, including at peatland and dumpsites, are high.
“There are a few factors contributing to open burning such as prolonged days without rain causing certain blaze-prone areas to be at higher risk of catching fire.
“Fire spreads rapidly when started in bushes and shrubs, peatland, farmland and areas with vegetation.
“Open burning is usually caused by human factors.
“Natural factors such as lightning strikes leading to open fires do occur but this is not as common as humans causing open burning themselves.
“Human activities such as burning garbage, land clearing for development of new buildings or agricultural purposes are the most common causes behind open burning,” said Nor Hisham.
Out of the overall 1,070 cases of open burning this year, a total of 728 involved either open burning of bushes or lalang (a coarse weedy Malaysian grass), 216 cases were of waste burning, 85 involved forests and the remaining 41 involved farmland or orchards.
So far in 2022, Johor topped the list of states with the highest number of overall open burning cases at 203 cases followed by Kedah at 200, Selangor at 158, Penang at 110, Perak at 106 and Melaka at 70 incidences.
Negri Sembilan recorded 52 cases, followed by Perlis at 46 while Sabah and Sarawak respectively logged 28 and 21 cases, with Pahang reporting 27 cases followed by Terengganu at 17 and Kelantan at 13.
As for the Federal Territories, Putrajaya recorded no cases of open burning while Labuan had 10 so far and Kuala Lumpur had nine.
Nor Hisham said that currently, the country is experiencing a hot and dry spell especially in the northern parts of the peninsula and that Malaysians should avoid any open burning activities, especially in high-risk places such as landfills, bushes and peatland.
“So far, there are no large-scale forest fires but in the north, we have had two incidents of fires at a landfill and a cemetery in Penang,” he said.
Open burning in agricultural areas, if cannot be avoided, must be done in a strictly controlled manner with eyes on the fire at all times, said Nor Hisham.
“Don’t just start the fire in the late evening and walk away.
“This action will lead to fire rapidly spreading when it’s already dark out, which will complicate our efforts to put out the fire,” he said.
Nor Hisham also advised the public to immediately report any cases of open burning so that the Bomba can take immediate action.