IPOH, March 22 — A 4.46-hectare hill forest area at the Bintang Hijau Sungai Rui Rest and Service Area in Gerik caught fire today.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said firemen brought the blaze under control this evening, with only minor patches still on fire.
He said they received an emergency call at 12.27pm and immediately dispatched firemen from the Gerik station and a water tanker from the Pengkalan Hulu station to the location.
“Upon arrival at the scene, it was found that the fire involved bushes along the roadside and also forest on a hill approximately 700 metres high, covering an area of 10 acres (four hectares),” he said in a statement here.
He said the firefighting operation was called off at 7pm and would resume tomorrow morning.
“However, monitoring operations by personnel at the scene are still ongoing to ensure safety and to prevent any flare-ups,” he said. — Bernama
