Kelantan: The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) recorded a sharp increase in forest, bush, and plantation fires nationwide from January to March 31 this year, totalling 12,938 cases. Its deputy director-general (Operations), Datuk Ahmad Izram Osman, stated that this figure exceeds the 9,941 cases recorded from January to December last year. He attributed the rise in open burning incidents to the current hot and dry weather conditions.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, bush fires accounted for the majority of cases with 11,147 incidents, followed by forest fires with 1,047 cases, and plantation or farm fires with 744 cases. Ahmad Izram highlighted that bush fires made up more than 80 percent of the total cases, making them the primary concern. The increase is also believed to be linked to uncontrolled open burning and limited monitoring in high-risk areas.

For forest fires, Selangor recorded the highest number with 337 cases, followed by Kelantan with 123 cases, Penang with 121, Sabah with 113, and Kedah with 102. In terms of bush fires, Kedah topped the list with 2,524 cases, followed by Johor with 1,886, Melaka with 1,010, Kelantan with 937, and Perak with 759. For plantation or farm fires, Johor recorded the highest number with 359 cases, followed by Selangor with 165, Perak with 54, Kedah with 29, and Kelantan with 25.

Ahmad Izram outlined several proposed measures, including stricter enforcement against open burning, increased patrols in high-risk areas, greater public awareness efforts, and the use of technology such as drones and early warning systems. He emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation among relevant agencies to ensure more effective prevention.