Firefighters battling the forest fire at Jalan Kejatau-Lingga in Sri Aman. – Bomba photo
KUCHING (Aug 13): A forest fire along Jalan Kejatau-Lingga in Sri Aman has affected an estimated 80 hectares, with firefighters having extinguished about 40 hectares as of today.
According to the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), firefighting operations entered their fourth day today, with personnel from the Sri Aman Fire and Rescue Station resuming efforts at 8am.
“The operation was divided into four groups, with firefighters using GP 10/10 and forest fire pumps to draw water from open sources and deploy hose lines to contain the blaze and create firebreaks.
“The fourth group comprised plantation workers who assisted using pumps and a plantation excavator,” it said.
Operations were suspended at 7pm and will resume tomorrow.
Bomba said strong winds had caused the fire to spread rapidly, while limited open water sources and narrow road access posed challenges to firefighting efforts.
The operation was also hampered by communication difficulties due to the lack of radio coverage at the location.
A total of 18 Bomba personnel were involved in the operation, supported by five Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) personnel, five Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) personnel operating four excavators, and three plantation workers.
No casualties have been reported.