El Nino: Open burning can cause forest and shrub fires

SANDAKAN: Open burning activities during the El Nino season can lead to the occurrence of forest and shrub fires.

Acting Head of the Sandakan Fire and Rescue Station Calvin Joe Jeafery said although such forest and shrub fires did not cause fatality, they carried the risk of property and house destruction.

He said this could happen if the forest and shrub fires occurred near housing areas.

"During the El Nino season, the people must avoid open burning especially for agricultural activities," he told Bernama, here today.

He said that 27 cases of such fires had been reported in the district between January this year until yesterday.
He said nine cases were reported in January, four cases in February and 14 cases up to mid-March.

In Kinabatangan, four cases of forest and shrub fires were reported during the period.
Kinabatangan Fire and Rescue Station Head Rosemidian Majid said two cases were reported in the Telupid area while a case each were reported in Gua Gomantong and Bukit Garam.

Meanwhile in ARAU, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim said the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) would meet on Tuesday specifically to table an action plan on facing the hot weather during El Nino.

He called on the public, especially the elderly, children and those who were sensitive to the hot weather to adhere to the alert issued by the Health Ministry by taking appropriate action such as avoiding outdoor activities which could lead to a heat stroke.
"If there are external activities which had been planned before the El Nino phenomenon, it's better to postpone or cancel the programme until the weather improves," he said when approached after group opening of the Umno Branches in the Arau Division at the Kubang Gajah Service Centre, here yesterday. — Bernama