Malaysia: Trench built to contain raging forest fire in Johor

REMAR NORDIN The Star 23 Aug 19;

ISKANDAR PUTERI: The state Fire and Rescue Department has built a trench to stop the forest fire at Jalan Tanjung Kupang, Kampung Pekajang from spreading.

Its operation commander Sarhan Akmal Mohamad said the fire, which started since 11.45am on Wednesday (Aug 21), has now spread to 40 acres.

“A total of 70 Fire and Rescue Department personnel from 10 stations from Zone 1 (Johor Baru, Pasir Gudang, Kulai and Pontian) have been deployed to help fight the fire.

“We have conducted aerial monitoring to find the best way to contain the blaze, ” he said in a statement here on Friday (Aug 23).

He added that the department was currently organising its strategies aside from looking out for nearby water source that could be used to help put out the forest fire.

State Housing, Communications and Multimedia Committee chairman Dzulkefly Ahmad, who visited the area, said the Johor Baru Disaster Action Committee would be having their first meeting on Friday to discuss the next course of action in fighting the blaze.

“The overall conditions are under control, so the public living near the area need not be worried.

“I was informed that the state Fire and Rescue Department had finished making a trench in the area so that the flames would not spread, ” he said.

Forest fire in Iskandar Puteri spreads to 98 hectares
The Star 25 Aug 19;

JOHOR BARU (Bernama): Strong winds over the past few days caused the forest fire at Kampung Pekajang in Iskandar Puteri, near here, to spread to a new area of 98 hectares as opposed to just 16 hectares on Friday (Aug 23).

However, Johor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Datuk Yahaya Madis said the department had worked hard for 24 hours to handle it and had extinguished 45% or 44 hectares of fire.

The operation was carried out by 79 members including senior officers from 10 stations in Zone 1 Johor and a station from Zone 2 Johor.

In addition, five 20,000-litre capacity water tankers were used to transport water taken from nearby fire hydrants to extinguish the fire.

He added that the source of the water had to be taken from a nearby fire hydrant because the existing river in the area could not accommodate the extinguishing operation.

"Today it drizzled a little and this did not have much effect on the operation.

"Based on the current situation, it is expected to take four days for the fire to be extinguished.

"But if the 'flooding' technique can be completed immediately, there is a possibility that the fire will be extinguished soon," he said when contacted by Bernama Sunday (Aug 25).

Yahaya said there were suggestions for cloud seeding activities be carried out in the area to assist in the firefighting operation.

The proposal was voiced by the state Housing, Communications and Multimedia Committee chaired by Kota Iskandar assemblyman Dzulkefly Ahmad.

"Following the proposal, the Meteorological Department was present at the site of the fire to observe the formation of clouds but the result would probably be 50% successful due to low cloud moisture," he said.

The fire started on Friday afternoon due to the dry weather in the state. - Bernama

16-hectare forest fire near Legoland Theme Park extinguished
Mohamed Farid Noh The Star 24 Aug 19;

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Firefighters today doused a massive wildfire which destroyed 16 hectares of forest near the Legoland Theme Park here.

Emergency response teams were alerted to the fire at 4.25pm on Friday (Aug 23), and battled the blaze for nearly 10 hours after arriving at the site.

The flames were brought under control at about 3.15am today (Aug 24).

The fire is believed to have been sparked by dry and hot conditions in the area.

"A total of 15 personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department and Larkin station were engaged in the operation. We were also assisted by the Emergency Response Team from Medini.

“Aside from dousing the flames, firefighters also created a firebreak by digging a barrier and felling trees to ensure that the blaze did not spread,” Larkin Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Ahmad Nazran Omar told BH Online.

The amount of losses incurred is under investigation, he added.