SIBU, March 27 — An inter-agency operation has been launched on Friday to contain a bushfire near the Ngu Chung Beng Driving Institute, which has burned about 16 hectares of scrubland.
Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (Bomba) Sibu Zone 4 Chief, Andy Alie said the response has been divided into three sectors, A, B and C, with a total of 50 personnel mobilised to support Bomba from the Sibu Central station.
He said the operation strategy this morning required teams to cross a small stream before carrying out defensive and direct-attack methods to curb the fire’s spread.
“Sectoral arrangements and team deployments were completed at 9am, and suppression work has been ongoing since,” he said.
The operation involves personnel from Bomba, Rela, the Civil Defence Force (APM), the police (PDRM), the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), and volunteer units.
DID Sibu also deployed an excavator to carry out clearing works for better access to the affected area.
Andy said an emergency call was first received on March 23, but initial responders found the site to be roughly 2km inland from the nearest access route, making immediate suppression impossible.
“We could not carry out firefighting earlier because the fire was too deep inside and there was no proper access. Only today, with support from multiple agencies and machinery clearing the path, were we finally able to enter and begin full suppression,” he said.
He added that monitoring will continue, with resource deployment adjusted based on fire behaviour and ground conditions. — The Borneo Post
