Provincial administrations are implementing measures to prevent fires due to the extreme heat expected in this year’s dry season, which poses a heightened risk of outbreaks.
Kandal provincial governor Kong Sophorn issued a directive on March 25, highlighting the risk of fire hazards due to the hot and dry weather conditions.
He decreed strict prohibitions against burning straw walls, storing waste near houses and forests and throwing cigarette butts on dry grass, emphasising that burning wildfires and dry grass is forbidden.
Sophorn instructed the provincial Department of Labour and Vocational Training, in cooperation with the Department of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation and local administrations, to advise factories, enterprises and local shops to be vigilant about incidents caused by electricity and other factors.
“We must ensure that all factories have the necessary firefighting equipment, water pump heads and adequate water sources and regularly inspect these factories to ensure complete safety,” he stated.
Prey Veng provincial governor Suon Somalin urged all stakeholders to educate and broadly disseminate information to local people about the dangers of fires.
“Authorities at all levels and relevant units in Prey Veng must be prepared to prevent fires and take serious legal action against those who cause destruction and disaster to public and private property,” he said.
According to the Ministry of Interior’s Fire Prevention, Extinguishing and Rescue Department, there were 761 fires nationwide in 2023, marking a significant increase compared to 2022, with 71 incidents in Kandal province and 29 in Prey Veng.
The report also noted that authorities extinguished 643 fires using 1,366 vehicles. The incidents resulted in 54 deaths, 97 injuries and damage to 579 houses, marking a loss of “hundreds of millions of dollars”.
The report stated electrical issues caused 368 of these fires, accounting for 48.16 per cent of the total.
The department has previously focused on preventing and managing fires through regular training for officials and increased education for people in their homes on how to extinguish and prevent them.
