Honour firefighters for their sacrifice in efforts

IN Myanmar, the majority of fires are caused by negligence, with other causes including cooking fires, spontaneous combustion, electrical fires, forest fires, and arson.

A fire caused by an individual’s negligence can not only result in death and injury to people but also destroy homes and property that have been built up through years of effort and savings. Along with such loss and destruction, the morale and hopes that people have built their lives upon are also diminished. Therefore, pre­venting fire hazards caused by individual negligence requires not only awareness and responsibility but also the collective strength and unity of the public.

During the summer, forest fires also occur frequently. When such fires destroy forests and hills, they can have a direct im­pact on the climate. Deforestation and forest fires damage the socio-economic lives of people living in the surrounding areas. In such degraded environ­ments, it becomes difficult to carry out agriculture and livestock-based livelihoods. As the natural environment dete­riorates, it often takes many years to return to its original condition.

Due to climatic condi­tions, fires can ignite easily. Without water, it is not possible to extinguish them. Therefore, water should be used efficient­ly. As a fire engine carrying 800 gallons of water can spray for only about three to five min­utes, it is necessary to provide hydrants and fire-fighting wa­ter reservoirs in every ward and village.

In addition, fire brigades should be formed at the lo­cal and workplace levels to safeguard communities. The Department of Fire Servic­es is also providing auxiliary firefighting training courses. As fire hazards cannot be fully prevented and managed by the department alone, young people should attend such training and work in cooper­ation with the department to help protect their communi­ties.

In 2025, a total of 1,018 fire incidents occurred nationwide, with losses amounting to K9,255.7 million, according to an announce­ment by the relevant department. Therefore, efforts must be made each year to reduce the damage and losses caused by fires. In responding to major fires and natural disasters, personnel of the Myanmar Fire Brigade have worked tirelessly in firefighting, disregarding risks to their lives and physical safety.

5th May of this year marks the 80th Anniversary of Myanmar Fire Brigade Day. Firefighters are carrying out firefighting and search-and-rescue operations during natural disasters using mod­ern vehicles and advanced technologies, enabling rapid detection, rapid response, and rapid suppression. The public is therefore urged to promptly report fire incidents and natural disasters by calling the Fire Services emergency number 191 and to cooperate in response efforts.