FOREST FIRES KEEP PAHANG FIREMEN BUSY
Bush, peat and plantation fires ravaging 300ha of land across three districts in state
THE dry spell is rearing its ugly head again, with a series of forest fires in three districts in Pahang ravaging some 300ha of land. Firefighters have been kept busy around the clock as they battle bush, peat and plantation fires which had been reported in the state capital, Pekan and Rompin since early this month.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department director Wan Mohammad Zaidi Wan Isa said the prolonged dry spell had resulted in forest fires prompting the department to deploy additional manpower from districts not affected by bushfires.
“After conducting an aerial survey yesterday, the department spotted several new forest fire hotspots emerging, with the largest involving a plantation in Muadzam Shah, Rompin. We have now implemented optimum measures to avoid the fires from spreading closer to main roads and housing settlements.
“Starting today (yesterday), the department roped in firemen from Bentong and Temerloh to assist. Currently we have some 200 men battling on the ground.
We are deploying our manpower and assets based on the size of the burning area and accessibility,” he told reporters after inspecting the peat fires at Kampung Alur Beruang near Penor Prison yesterday.
Wan Mohammad Zaidi said in Muadzam Shah, the department had deployed the water bombing technique to put out the blaze as fire engines could not reach the affected plantation area.
“A helicopter will be used to drop water from a bucket and we have deployed the department’s Multi-Skill Team to assist on the ground. The plantation is about 1,000ha with 30 per cent of the area burning.
“At areas hit by peat fires, we are trying the total flooding technique by pumping water into the areas to ensure the soil burning deep beneath the surface is properly doused. To prevent fire from spreading to nearby land, we will use an excavator to dig a ditch. The decision depends on the area size and water supply,” he said, adding that based on past experience, it might need more than a week to completely put out the forest fires here.
To date, forest fires were reported in an area measuring 3ha in Kampung Alur Beruang, near here; Kampung Cenderawasih in Pekan (2ha), some 300ha in Muadzam Shah and 2ha at Menchali Forest Reserve in Leban Chondong, both in Rompin.