Penang Fire Dept Puts Out 12 Open Burning Incidents Amid Hot, Dry Weather

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) in Penang put out 12 open burning incidents within 12 hours today following hot and dry weather conditions affecting the state since this morning.

State JBPM Operations Division assistant director John Sagun Francis said that between 8 am and 8 pm, the department received 29 emergency calls, with 17 of them involving fire-related cases.

“Of the total number of fire incidents, 10 involved grass and bush fires, which were due to the current dry and windy weather conditions,” he said in a statement tonight.

He added that two cases of rubbish fires were also recorded in Kepala Batas, believed to have been caused by residents carrying out open waste burning activities.

In this regard, he advised the public to cease all forms of open burning and to refrain from indiscriminately discarding cigarette butts to prevent more serious fire risks, particularly under the prevailing hot and dry weather conditions.

-- BERNAMA