Fire Dept Deploys Helicopter Water Bombing To Control Muar Peat Fires

MUAR, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- As the peatland fire enters its seventh day in Bakri Batu 13 and 14 here, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) today began using the water bombing technique via helicopter to control the fire at the location.

Johor JBPM Zone 4 chief Norshuhada Amsari said the water bombing operation, which began at about 9 am, focused on Sector D, the largest fire area estimated at 88 hectares.

She said until noon, the JBPM Air Unit helicopter had carried out approximately 15 firefighting operations, using an estimated 12,000 litres of water from nearby sources, with each flight carrying about 800 litres of water.

“The operation resumed at about 3.30 pm after being temporarily halted to allow the pilots and personnel involved to perform their Friday prayers," she said when contacted by Bernama today.

Norshuhada said the Agusta AW139 helicopter (9M-BOD) is expected to continue firefighting operations for two days until tomorrow, depending on the needs and conditions of the fire.

She said the firefighting operation today involved four fire sectors with a force of eight JBPM Air Unit personnel, including pilots, while the Johor JBPM Zone 4 deployed 73 personnel and officers.

“The fire involved four sectors: Sector A (10 hectares, ha), Sector B (four ha), Sector C (eight ha), and Sector D, estimated at 88 ha. We were quite surprised by the extent of the fire in Sector D after the Air Unit conducted a detailed assessment," she said.

She also said that previously, firefighting operations in Sectors B and C had to use water sources from tube wells due to a lack of water supply and low pressure in the affected areas.

Until 1 pm today, the fire in Sector A has been successfully extinguished by 96 per cent, while Sectors B and C have both been completely extinguished.

However, Norshuhada added that only about nine per cent of the fires in Sector D have been successfully contained so far.

-- BERNAMA