GOPENG: The Perak Environment Department has identified 15 open burning hotspots in the state, says environment committee chairman Teh Kok Lim.
He said the hotspots were mostly in forests and padi-planting areas in the Kerian district, Hulu Perak and Teluk Intan.
Teh said 26 hotspots were identified in the whole of 2023, but there were already 15 hotspots in the first three months of 2024.
He said the hotspots did not include illegal dumpsites that suddenly "appear", which also is at risk of open burning.
"I urge the public to stop conducting open burning – whether near their premises, at illegal dumpsites or anywhere else that can harm the environment and cause damage.
"The weather is already so hot, conducting open burning will only make matters worse. The highest daily maximum temperature was recorded in Hulu Perak under Level 2 (between 37°C and 40°C) for three consecutive days.
"So in this dry and hot weather, an increase in open fires can happen, especially in areas with peat soil and landfills," he told a press conference at the department's branch here on Monday (March 25).
Teh said the department was on standby to combat open burning which causes deterioration of air quality, haze and effected the people's health.
"We have increased patrolling and monitoring operations to prevent open burning using drones and satellite images as well as continuously organising awareness campaigns via community programmes or social and mass media," he added.
Teh pleaded to the public to dispose of household or commercial waste the right way, for example to put dried leaves inside a bag for council workers to collect.
He also said factories, if unsure how to dispose of their waste, to seek advice from the Environment Department.
Prior to that Teh, together with the Environment Department director Datuk Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh, visited several illegal dumpsites in the Gopeng industrial area which showed evidence of open burning.
Teh said the state government would examine the need for closed circuit cameras in industrial areas at risk of open burning.
He said the Gopeng Industrial area would be the site of a pilot project for CCTV monitoring before it is expanded state-wide.
According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department on Friday (March 22), Perlis is experiencing heat waves since March 19, while most parts of Kedah (Langkawi, Kubang Pasu, Padang Terap, Pokok Sena, Kota Setar, Kuala Muda, Pendang, Sik, Baling) and part of Perak (Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Kinta) experienced level one hot weather.
MetMalaysia also forecasted dry and hot weather with temperatures above 35°C to continue in most places in the peninsula and Sabah until April.
