Malaysia: 150 firemen and volunteers hard at work putting out Sabah forest fires

KRISTY INUS New Straits Times 7 Apr 16;

BEAUFORT: The Fire and Rescue Department are still toiling away to extinguish forest fires at the Binsuluk forest reserve here, with 150 men deployed for the task.

Sabah Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Khairul Azuwan Ibrahim said they also received reinforcements totaling 55 personnel from the Sabah Forestry Department.

"Some of the areas like the Rural Development Corporation (KPD) farm nearby has burnt down but still has thick smoke.

"We now face accessibility issues on how to reach the middle of the 200 hectare forest reserve ...

The Forestry Department is trying to clear a path using an excavator," he said when contacted.

Khairul said it would be a huge help to the firemen on the ground in putting out the blaze if the cloud seeding operations launched today results in rainfall.


Sabah cloud-seeding operation begins to extinguish forest fires
KRISTY INUS New Straits Times 7 Apr 16;

KOTA KINABALU: An attempt to perform cloud seeding operation in this Sabah took place using the Royal Malaysian Air Force's C130 aircraft this morning.

The aircraft left the Labuan base at 11am to perform the operation at Binsuluk, Beaufort where forest fires had been rampant.

This came about following an order by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, where previously it was reported that the 'towering cumulus' type of cloud is required in order for the operation to work.