GEORGE TOWN, Jan 5 — The Penang Fire and Rescue Department is conducting continuous monitoring at the fire-affected area at the Penang Botanical Gardens here to ensure there are no remaining flames or embers that could potentially spark a repeat fire, following yesterday evening’s incident.

State Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Mohamad Shoki Hamzah said the fire had been extinguished, but monitoring using drones and regular ground observations by firefighters would continue.

“This monitoring is important to ensure that if a fire occurs again, extinguishing operations can be carried out immediately.

“The monitoring is not only in the fire area, but also across the entire forest on Bukit Bendera because the location is among the 28 forest fire hotspots in Penang,” he told reporters at the fire location on Jalan Kebun Bunga here today.

He said the area burned since yesterday covered about eight hectares out of the total 91 hectares of the Island Forest Reserve on Bukit Bendera, adding that a fire control centre had been set up at the site to coordinate extinguishing operations swiftly.

Meanwhile, Bukit Bendera Cable Car Project director Muhammad Rizal Muhammad Samadi said the fire did not involve the project’s cable line, although it was located not far from the construction area.

He said his department was also conducting continuous monitoring to ensure safety was maintained and that the project proceeded smoothly.

Earlier, media reports said the forest fire, which started at 6.20 pm yesterday, was brought under control at 9.30 pm and fully extinguished at 10.50 pm, with the eight-hectare firefighting operation divided into three sectors. — Bernama