KOTA KINABALU: Approximately 2,019 open fires were recorded in Sabah to date since the start of the year.
According to the State Fire and Rescue Department statistics, March alone recorded 1,170 incidents while the first two days of April recorded 120 cases - with the Papar and Penampang fire stations receiving the most number of reports.
The recent El Nino phenomenon which began more than two months ago has led to a dry spell in several areas across the nation.
Sabah's open fire cases were mostly forest fires, followed by bush fires and blazes at plantations.