SIBU: Aerial water bombings have successfully slowed the spread of a bushfire involving about 105ha in Mukah.
Mukah Fire and Rescue Station chief Nicholas Belulin said the firefighting operation was carried out by the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department using an Mi-171 helicopter.
“A total of four water bombings were carried out at 3.30pm on Wednesday, releasing 6,360 litres of water over the affected area,” he said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.
“This prompt action managed to slow the fire’s movement and helped prevent it from spreading to nearby areas,” he added.
However, the operation was halted after 42 minutes due to technical issues affecting the aircraft’s system.
“Following inspection, several components need to be replaced, and the spare parts will be delivered by the maintenance team via road,” he said.
Nicholas added that the operation was conducted in hazy conditions.
According to him, the bushfire in Mukah was first detected on July 24, and firefighting efforts have been ongoing in stages since then.
“The Fire and Rescue Department has been conducting aerial monitoring and creating fire breaks to prevent the blaze from spreading further into oil palm plantations and nearby settlements,” he said.
He added that water bombing was introduced as an additional measure after the fire proved difficult to control through conventional ground-based methods due to the vast area and limited accessibility.
Nicholas said operations are expected to resume, pending confirmation that the aircraft is safe and operational.
