(Kaieteur News) – With Guyana bracing for hotter and drier conditions as El Niño intensifies, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has issued a stern warning to citizens to abandon the practice of burning garbage and grass, cautioning that a single spark could trigger devastating fires across the country.

In an advisory issued by Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham, the fire service said the prolonged dry spell will leave vegetation parched and highly combustible, creating ideal conditions for fast-moving grass and structural fires.

The agency stressed that fire prevention must become everyone’s responsibility, urging residents in all 10 administrative regions to exercise extreme caution as temperatures climb.