The Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM) has identified 62 hotspots nationwide that have the potential to experience large-scale fires affecting areas of more than 25 hectares.
JBPM director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said another 183 locations are also being monitored based on fire records collected over the past five years.
He said large-scale fires are currently more common in Sarawak, while most incidents reported in Peninsular Malaysia involve smaller areas that firefighters are still able to manage.
“Large-scale fires are more common in Sarawak. At the same time, we are not ruling out incidents in Peninsular Malaysia, although most have been relatively small and remain manageable.
“However, the number of cases is increasing, and this presents a challenge for the fire and rescue department. We will continue monitoring both categories,” he said.
Nor Hisham said this after attending the launch of the JBPM Firefighting Skills Hub at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).
Earlier, media reports highlighted that 18,432 open-burning cases were recorded between January and July this year.
He said the figure was significantly higher than the 9,941 cases recorded throughout 2025, representing an increase of 8,491 cases or 85.4 per cent.
The latest figure has also surpassed the total of 16,294 open-burning cases recorded in 2024, underscoring the growing challenge faced by fire and rescue authorities nationwide.
