A total of 330 emergency calls on forest and bush fires has been made from January until March 12, 2010, statistics from the Fire and Rescue Department show.
Bush fires spike up in February with 189 cases as compared with January (18). The rising trend is set to continue as within 12 days of March, as F&R has already recorded 123 cases of bush fires, with the hot spell to last until April 2010.
The FRD is increasing surveillance and patrol in fire-prone areas in all districts and stand ready to combat any major fire outbreak.
According to Dr Haji Sidup bin Haji Siraba of the Meteorological Department (under Civil Aviation Dept), there will be less rainfall from February until April, 20 to 40 percent lower than the average rainfall.
The hot weather is causing surface temperature to rise to as much as 33degrees C and denser morning fog reducing vision.
Meanwhile, Director of JASTRE (Dept of Environment, Parks and Recreations) Haji Zakaria bin Hj Serudin said more than 100 hotspots have been identified in the north and south of Borneo nearby to Sabah, Sarawak and East Kalimantan since early March.
JASTRE says air quality in each district is still in the healthy level. The department has also warned that anyone found guilty of open burning can face a fine of up to B$100,000 under the open burning Restriction Order.
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