Over 13,000 bush fires recorded in Malaysia from January to April

PETALING JAYA – At least 13,000 bush fires were recorded in Malaysia in the first four months of 2026, nearly double the total in 2025.

Fire and Rescue Department director-general Nor Hisham Mohammad described the sharp increase as an “alarming trend”, attributing it to hot and dry weather conditions.

“Although the data covered the period only up to April, the 13,775 bush fires have already surpassed the total recorded throughout last year,” he said.

There were 7,984 cases in 2025.

In 2023, there were 9,294 bush fires, followed by 13,182 in 2024.

The department said bush fires are open blazes involving vegetation such as shrubs, grass and undergrowth. They are categorised separately from forest fires and plantation fires.

“The trend for bush fires reached a downward turn last year but this was short-lived as the number of cases spiked significantly this year,” Nor Hisham told The Star.

He said the increase is believed to have been driven by hot and dry weather conditions, particularly in Kedah and Johor, as well as the El Nino phenomenon and human-related open burning activities.

“The increasingly hot weather has caused vegetation, scrubland and peatland areas to become extremely dry, allowing fires to spread rapidly,” he said.

“The El Nino phenomenon, which reduces rainfall, has also heightened the risk of large-scale fires, while the burning of agricultural waste, open disposal of rubbish and human negligence remain among the main causes of such blazes.”

He said the 960 plantation and farm fires recorded in the early part of 2026 have surpassed the number of these fires in 2024 (948) and 2025 (758).

The department is now monitoring 83 hot spots nationwide that are at high risk of major fires.

“Hot spot monitoring will be carried out through the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre website, while Air Pollutant Index readings will be tracked via the Air Pollutant Index of Malaysia portal. Additional information will be obtained from the National Fire Operations Centre from time to time,” Nor Hisham said.

The department has intensified patrols and the preparedness of firefighting assets, including water-bombing operations.

Data showed that open-burning cases involving areas of 2ha and above affected 5,990ha of land as at June 9, compared with 1,862ha throughout 2025. In comparison, the total area affected by open burning was 11,686ha in 2024.

Nor Hisham said enforcement and monitoring will be stepped up through regular patrols in hot spots and areas prone to open burning.

“We will mobilise our machinery and firefighting equipment for open burning operations, while department aircraft may be deployed for firefighting through water bombing operations if necessary,” he said.

“In cases where residents are affected by water supply disruptions, water tankers can be mobilised to provide additional assistance.”

He urged state governments to activate their State Disaster Management Committees in stages, based on weather conditions and the average number of open-burning calls received.

“This is aimed at strengthening response measures in the event of worsening haze conditions and an increase in open burning incidents. Such activations should be guided by the National Haze Action Plan and the National Open Burning Action Plan, taking into account prevailing weather patterns and fire-related emergency calls.”

He urged the public to refrain from carrying out open-burning activities and to immediately report any fires to the authorities. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK