KOTA TINGGI, March 27 — An MI-17 helicopter of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Air Unit will begin water bombing operations to extinguish the fire on Jalan Bypass Punggai-Sebana Cove, here.
According to a Johor JBPM statement, the initiative will be implemented after the same method has been completed in extinguishing a fire near the Pengerang People’s Housing Project (PPR).
JBPM said the extinguishing operation is still continuing in section G by ‘direct attack’ and ‘total flooding’ using ‘water tankers’ to control the spread of the fire.
The agency informed that excavators would continue to carry out ‘fire breaks’ in the section concerned with the planned extinguishing efforts also covering water sources from a Yayasan Perladangan Johor pond to boost fire control.
“90 per cent or 135 hectares of the 150 hectares of area involved in the fire on Jalan Bypass Punggai-Sebana Cove, here, have been successfully extinguished as of 9 am,” he said today.
For the fire near PPR Pengerang, 55 per cent or 5.5 hectares of the 10 hectares affected area were extinguished using the ‘direct attack’ and ‘total flooding’ methods in sections E, F and C, with water from nearby fire hydrants.
However, the fire has spread back to section C due to strong winds, hence, the same helicopter will carry out water bombing operations in ‘sections E and G’.
“Meanwhile, excavators will continue to carry out ‘fire breaks’ in sections F and G to extinguish the remaining 4.5 hectares,” he said.
Earlier, the fire at both locations started on March 21 involving about 150 hectares on Jalan Bypass Punggai-Sebana Cove, while the fire at the Pengerang PPR has been going on since March 24 in a 10-hectare area. — Bernama
