Fear of new forest fire as smoke spotted
KLANG: The authorities are still working hard to put out the forest fires that are currently smouldering away at the Kuala Langat Selatan forest reserve.
While the battle is ongoing, smoke has also been spotted coming from the Kuala Langat Utara forest reserve, which has not had a forest fire for the last three years.
Selangor Forestry Department director Datuk Ahmad Fadzil Abdul Majid said the smoke was spotted on Wednesday.
“It came from the southern tip of the forest reserve. We have yet to identify the source of the fire.”
He said the development of new projects near the Kuala Langat Utara forest reserve has created accessibility to the area that has, in turn, allowed trespassing.
“Once there is accessibility, people go in for their own activities such as fishing, and at times, build a fire.
“If they throw a cigarette butt there, given the current hot weather, it could ignite,” he said.
Ahmad Fadzil said because of the accessibility to the area, there were also new illegal farming activities being carried out at the southern half of the forest reserve.
Those carrying out illegal farming activities are known to set fires to clear land as well as to get rid of old crops in order to do replanting.
As for the previously raging fires at Kuala Langat Selatan, he said the situation was under control.
“Our main aim is to stop the fire from spreading and we have managed to do that,” he said.
The fires that engulfed about 40.4ha of land at the beginning of the week have now been brought down to about 24.3ha.
Ahmad Fadzil said it was unlikely that the fires would spread at Kuala Langat Selatan as the area has been waterbombed to keep it wet.
“Hopefully, there will be heavy rainfall soon to help us counter the peat fires more quickly,” Ahmad Fadzil said.