JOHOR BARU: The Fire and Rescue Department is calling for an immediate stop to all open burning activities given that the current dry spell has ignited three major forest and estate fires involving 400ha in two states. Its director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said the present dry spell is keeping firemen extremely busy as they have to attend to more than 400 cases daily involving open burning, forest and shrub fires nationwide. ALSO READ : Dry spell a drain up north“The public needs to stop all open burning activities immediately as currently, 40% to 60% of the calls that the department gets involves fires at estates, farms, forests and shrub land,” he said. Nor Hisham said the department has fought fires over some 1,920ha in 194 different locations across 39 districts nationwide. “All the fires in Selangor and Sabah have been put out, while only three locations are still burning in Pahang and Johor.”Nor Hisham also urged all farmers to stop burning agriculture waste or rice husk in large quantities, while the public needs to refrain from burning rubbish in open places.

Source: The Star March 25, 2026 02:35 UTC