A bush fire rages in Jacks Hill consuming several acres of vegetation on Wednesday night. The fire lasted for several hours and was extinguished by units from Rollington Town and Stony Hill with assistance from the Rapid Response Unit. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Amid a recent spate of bush fires, the Jamaica Fire Brigade is appealing to citizens to be wary of setting fires in the open due to prevailing dry conditions.

Acting Senior Deputy Superintendent Lanceford Williams, in charge of operations at the Kingston and St Andrew Division of the fire brigade, told The Gleaner yesterday that some of the fires are deliberately lit by persons, especially farmers, who use them to prepare their land.

"It is the dry season now and we are appealing to persons to desist from burning fires in the open because it is very dry and windy and the high winds fan these flames, so we are asking persons to be cautious as burning fires in the open is illegal," Williams told The Gleaner.

Massive bush fire in Jacks Hill

He was speaking against the backdrop of a massive bush fire in Jacks Hill, St Andrew, on Wednesday night. The fire, which started around 6 o'clock, lasted for several hours and was finally brought under control at about 12:30 a.m. Williams said the cause of the fire could not be determined. However, there were no reports of damage to property or persons.

Fire personnel from the Stony Hill and Rollington Town fire stations, with assistance from the Rapid Response Unit, fought the blaze.

This is the second major fire in less than two weeks, following a major bush fire in St Elizabeth which razed more than 240 acres of land, resulting in an estimated $26 million in damage.