PUNGGAI PEAT FIRE SPREADS, SENDS THICK SMOKE INTO HOUSING AREAS

KOTA TINGGI, Jan 26 (Bernama) --  Peat soil fires in the Punggai area here have reportedly increased from 5.26 hectares to 12.14 hectares due to dry and windy weather, sending thick smoke into the Taman Bayu Damai residential area in Pengerang this morning.

Punggai Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) chief Ezam Mistorerrodin said they received an emergency call at 11 am, prompting the deployment of a Fire Rescue Tender with 12 personnel from Punggai BBP, along with three members of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), to the scene.

He said a drone unit from Zone 2 had carried out assessments on the spread of the fire, water sources, and access routes for firefighting in Sectors A and B.

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“However, firefighting could not be carried out in Sector A due to distant water sources and limited open water supply. All personnel were focused on Sector B because of strong winds and a more active fire spread in that area.

“The operations team then conducted firefighting in Sector B using a 500-foot hose line, one breaching operation, two engine nozzle streams, and water sourced from a fire hydrant,” he said in a statement.

He added that continuous northerly winds had caused new flames to appear in several areas, while thick smoke spread into residential areas.

Ezam said that so far, only 2.02 hectares have been extinguished, about 20 per cent of the total affected area.

Firefighting operations are ongoing.

On Jan 18, the fire department reported a blaze in an area near the current site involving a plantation covering approximately 2.83 hectares along Jalan Punggai-Taman Bayu Damai. Hot and windy weather conditions caused the flames to intensify, complicating firefighting efforts.

The operation took four days to fully extinguish the fire due to strong winds that carried smoke into nearby areas.

-- BERNAMA