Kelantan reports nearly 600 fires in 3 months

 

Kelantan fire and rescue department director Zainal Madasin says 339 of the cases were due to open burning. (Facebook pic)

KOTA BHARU: The Kelantan fire and rescue department recorded 577 fires in the first three months of this year, compared to 257 cases during the same period last year.

State director Zainal Madasin said 339 of these cases were due to open burning, while the remainder were residential or commercial property fires.

“As of March 25, a total of 244 bushfire incidents were recorded, followed by rubbish fires (63), forest fires (23), peat fires (six) and plantation fires (three).

“We have identified 39 open burning hotspots: eight in Bachok, 12 in Pasir Puteh, six each in Pasir Mas, Kota Bharu and Gua Musang, and one in Tumpat,” he said here today.

Zainal believed the hot weather was partly to blame for the increase. - FMT