Baghdad urges fire safety as summer heat rises

BAGHDAD — Baghdad Operations Command on Tuesday urged residents to follow Civil Defense Directorate fire safety guidance to help prevent fires during the summer as temperatures continue to rise.

In a statement, the command called on residents to adhere to previous safety instructions aimed at reducing fires. The guidance advises motorists to remove potentially hazardous items from parked vehicles, including flammable gas canisters, lighters, soft drink bottles, perfumes and batteries. It also recommends leaving car windows slightly open for ventilation, not filling fuel tanks to capacity, refueling in the morning or evening where possible and avoiding travel during peak daytime heat.

The command called for activating joint inspection committees to review fire safety and security measures at shopping malls, hospitals, warehouses, fuel stations and oil storage facilities, including ensuring firefighting equipment is available.

The statement urged residents not to place cooking gas cylinders in direct sunlight and advised households to reduce electrical loads, run air conditioners only in occupied rooms, install reliable electrical protection devices and avoid using low-quality electrical outlets.

Sunny weather will continue across Iraq through Friday, with temperatures holding largely steady before rising slightly on Saturday, the Iraqi Meteorological Organization said, with highs in Basra and Maysan reaching 46 °C.

964media reports have documented repeated fires in commercial buildings, markets, fuel stations and warehouses across Iraq, with Civil Defense statements often citing electrical faults, flammable construction materials, storage conditions and safety violations among the risks.