Dubai authorities have begun telling owners of high-rise buildings across the emirate to make the facades more resistant to fire, the government said on Saturday, after a string of skyscraper blazes.

The government did not specify how it would ensure that owners complied with the policy, which could be costly, or reveal how many buildings might be affected in the fast-growing city, home to hundreds of high-rise towers, including the world's tallest skyscraper.

But it said it had already implemented the policy with a number of companies, including Dubai Properties Group, which is the investment vehicle of the emirate's ruler and operates skyscrapers in Dubai's business district.