stephen then The Star 6 Mar 19;
MIRI: Wildfires are flaring up in the Miri division in northern Sarawak again.
Over the past 24 hours, the Miri Fire and Rescue Department has had to deal with two separate cases of wildfires in two districts.
Miri Fire and Rescue chief Supt Law Poh Kiong said his teams on the ground have been receiving wildfire alerts since Tuesday.
He said that the first case involved forest fires in Bekenu.
"The forest fires in Bekenu burned about three acres before we managed to douse it," he said on Wednesday (March 6).
"These were fires in the forested bushland. There was another case of fire involving burning of bushes at Marina Bay in Miri, " he said.
It cannot be ascertain as yet whether these wildfires in Bekenu and Miri were ignited on purpose or if they were due to the current hot weather.
Firefighters to use water-bombing to douse Gunung Korbu fire
ivan loh The Star 6 Mar 19;
IPOH: Efforts to put out a fire at the Gunung Korbu Forest Reserve in Sungai Siput are still ongoing.
A Perak Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said some 30% of the forest area between the Pos Legap orang asli village and Kuala Mu is still ablaze.
The spokesman said they were now planning to put out the fire using the water-bombing method.
"We have already fitted a helicopter with equipment to carry 1,500l of water to douse the fire," he said.
The spokesman said only areas with bamboo trees and shrubs was affected.
"The larger trees were not burned," he said.
"We are continuing our surveillance from the air until the fire has been put out," he added.
Firemen still battling Gunung Korbu forest fire
Bernama New Straits Times 6 Mar 19;
IPOH: Firefighters continue to battle, on the second day running, a mountain fire that is said to be spreading at a height of about 500 metres in the Gunung Korbu Forest Reserve in Sungai Siput north of here.
The fire that was spotted at about 8am yesterday in about 10 per cent of the forest reserve, has now spread across 30 per cent of the area, according to Perak Fire & Rescue Department assistant director of operations Mohd Yunus Abu.
The 30 firefighters involved are using the water bombing technique to put out the blaze, now located in an area between the Orang Asli settlements of Pos Legap and Pos Mu, said the commander of the operation.
They are using an MI-17 helicopter and dropping water from 1,500-litre-capacity buckets, he said, adding that the fire was spreading easily due to the hot weather, strong winds and the bamboo plants that ignite fast.
“Nevertheless, the fire is confined to the bamboo and shrubs, and has not spread to the huge trees in the forest reserve,” he said.
Mohd Yunus said a fire and rescue control post had been set up at the Forestry Training Centre in Jalan Lintang, Sungai Siput, and a forward control post would be established in Kampung Santeh, also in Sungai Siput.
“A Multi Skill Team (MUST), in collaboration with the Sungai Siput Forestry Office, has set up a Heliwell, a portable water tank, in Kampung Santeh to draw water for the water-bombing operation,” he said.
The firefighters are from the fire and rescue stations in Sungai Siput, Kuala Kangsar and Ipoh, as well as a MUST unit and the Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Team of Malaysia (STORM) and they are assisted by over 20 personnel from the police and Forestry Department. –- BERNAMA
Firefighters battle bushfires in Perak and Miri
The Star 7 Mar 19;
PETALING JAYA: The current dry spell has led to several bushfires across the country.
In Sungai Siput, Bernama reported that firefighters continue to battle for the second day running a mountain fire said to be spreading at a height of about 500m in the Gunung Korbu Forest Reserve.
The fire, spotted to be raging in about 10% of the forest reserve at about 8am on Tuesday, has now spread across 30% of the area, according to Perak Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Mohd Yunus Abu.
A total of 30 firefighters are using water bombing techniques to put out the blaze in an area between the Pos Legap and Pos Mu settlements of the orang asli, said the commander of the operation.
“Nevertheless, the fire is confined to the bamboo and shrubs, and has not spread to the huge trees in the forest reserve,” he said.
In Miri, the Miri Fire and Rescue Department has had to deal with two separate cases of wildfires in two districts over the past 24 hours,
Department chief Law Poh Kiong said his teams on the ground had been receiving wildfire alerts since Tuesday.
He said the first case involved fires in Bekenu. “These were fires in the forested bushland. There was another case of fire in bushes at Marina Bay in Miri, “ he said.
It has yet to be ascertained if the wildfires in Bekenu and Miri were ignited on purpose or if they were due to the current hot weather.
In George Town, a forest fire set ablaze a 0.8ha site in Jalan Ladang Hong Seng, Tanjung Bungah, covering the area in smoke.
Penang Fire and Rescue Department (fire operation and safety) officer Supt Nafis Ariff Abdullah said they were despatched to the scene at 9.34pm on Monday.
He said the fire was brought under control some two hours later.
“The fire was raging in several spots with a gradient of 65 degrees, about 20m high. There was no access to vehicles and the firemen had to hike up to put out the fire,” he said.
Firemen still battling blaze on Gunung Laba, use helicopter for water bombing
The Star 8 Mar 19;
IPOH (Bernama): Firefighting operations were still being carried out Friday (March 8) in the 16.19ha of hill forest in Gunung Laba near Kampung Air Ganda, Gerik, about 140km from here.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department senior assistant Fire Supt Zamri Awang Long said the operation today used the water bombing method from 9am to 6pm using a MI-17 helicopter belonging to the department.
The operation involved machinery from the Gerik Fire and Rescue Station with 14 personnel and assistance from two firemen each from Pengkalan Hulu and Taiping and 12 employees of the Forestry Department.
“The fire yesterday, involving Bukit Laba and Gunung Tujuh, occurred near the Orang Asli settlement in Kampung Sungai Papan, which is about 1.5km from the fire, but no villagers have been evacuated,” he said when contacted by Bernama Friday.
“However, the latest information is still unavailable as personnel involved in the operation have yet to be contacted,” he said at press time.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Zamri said firefighters battling a fire, for the fourth day running, in the Gunung Korbu Forest Reserve in Sungai Siput have managed to completely put it out.
He said 30 firefighters were involved in dowsing the blaze between Pos Legap and Pos Mu, aided by 19 personnel from the Sungai Siput Forest Office and the police. - Bernama
