Fires increase, more snakes caught in houses and buildings
KOTA KINABALU: More reports of bush and forest fires and snakes seeking cool shelter in residential homes and business buildings have been received since the onset of hot and dry weather this year.
State Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Kenneth Wilfred said the number of bush fires increased from 40 cases in January to 304 in February, farm fires rose from nine to 21 cases and forest fires from 24 cases in January to 122 last month.
To respond to these fires faster, which can happen simultaneously in different locations, firemen choose to travel on four-wheel-drive vehicles for easier access and bring lighter extinguishing equipment, Kenneth said.
“This equipment can include 20-litre water sprays and fire beaters,” he said.
Kenneth said they would also use a total flooding method, which is to submerge areas involved, use water bombings via helicopter buckets, and fire break methods whereby excavators are used to throw away or move the burning materials to stop the spread of fire.
“These are just some of the ways we use in these cases, and we have to adapt to every situation,” he said, adding that manpower and equipment could be insufficient sometimes, and therefore, they have to think fast and outside the box.
Wilfred warned the public against open burnings during this dry season and carry out patrols on high-risk dry areas such as forests, farms, estates, peat soil lands and so on.
Sabah Civil Defence secretariat and assistant director of operations, Major Zico Sual, said 452 cases of reptiles were received in January and 376 in February.
He said Kota Kinabalu recorded 71 cases in Jan and 64 in Feb, followed by Paitan (36 in Jan and 28 instances in Feb), Tawau (25 in Jan and 23 in Feb), Sandakan with 25 cases each in Jan and Feb and Tungku with 23 instances in Jan and 19 in Feb.
Pitas recorded 21 cases in January and 15 in February, while Kota Belud had 19 cases each in both months. This is followed by Kota Marudu (19 in Jan and 17 in Feb), Tuaran (18 cases each for both months), Keningau (15 in Jan and 7 in Feb), Lahad Datu (16 in Jan and 14 in Feb), followed by Kinabatangan 13 cases in Jan and 10 in Feb.
“There were also cases reported in Beaufort, Penampang, Semporna, Kudat, Telupid, Papar, Ranau, Tenom, Kunak, Kuala Penyu, Tongod, Sipitang, Kalabakan, Beluran, Tambunan, Nabawan, Putatan, Felda Sahabat, Menumbok, Matunggong, Pulau Banggi, Pulau Sebatik, Kundasang and Tamparuli,” Zico said.
No injuries were reported in all these cases, he said.
Zico said reptiles would choose cool and shady areas to hide from the sun during the hot season.
The Meteorological Department said that the hot weather caused by the El Nino phenomenon would last until mid-year.