Suffocating scene: Smoke smoldering from peat soil fires at Bakri Batu. The area involved is about 38ha and has been burning since Jan 31.
At least five major cases in Johor alone, says Fire Dept director-general
JOHOR BARU: There are at least seven major open burning cases nationwide, with at least five of them in the state, says the Fire and Rescue Department.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad (pic) said besides Johor, the other affected areas are in Kedah and Selangor.
“All the areas affected involve about 95ha with peat soil, shrubs and fire at a landfill,” he said.
He added that the fires in Johor were in Pontian, Simpang Renggam, Pengerang, Sedili Kecil and Ayer Hitam.
He also said there is an ongoing peat soil fire in Sungai Besar, Selangor, and another fire at the Padang Cina-Kulim Hi-tech area in Kedah.
“We have managed to douse at least four major fires involving some 27ha in two areas in Johor and one each in Penang and Selangor,” he said.
Fire and Rescue Department director general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
Nor Hisham said the department has also dispatched its helicopter to carry out aerial water bombing in Bakri Batu in Ayer Hitam to control and extinguish the fires.
He added that they have done about 15 airdrops, each involving 800 litres of water.
Nor Hisham said they had to flood the area to contain the fires, which are inaccessible to ground teams.
He added that the rubbish fire at the Kulim Hi-tech area is still the longest they have been battling, covering an area of 6.07ha and burning since Jan 27.
Besides spraying water to douse the flames, they are also using bulldozers and excavators to cover the burning areas with soil, Nor Hisham said.
“So far, more than 11,500 tonnes of soil have been used to close up the burning areas,” he said, adding that since January until Feb 6, there have been a total of 5,647 cases of open burning with 4,182 cases involving shrub fires, 727 cases of rubbish fires at illegal dumpsites, 320 cases of forest fires and 272 cases at small farm land nationwide.
Meanwhile, the Johor government has submitted a request to the National Disaster Management Agency to carry out cloud seeding operations in areas affected by recent open fires.
Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the initiative was an additional measure to support ongoing firefighting efforts in the affected locations.
“I am taking the recent peatland fires incident seriously, which has been worsened by more than 25 days of hot and dry weather without rainfall.
“So far, the three main affected areas are Bakri Batu 13 and 14 in Muar, Bio Desaru and Tanjung Balau in Kota Tinggi, as well as Sungai Linau in Simpang Renggam, Kluang,” he said in a post on his social media.
Although the fires are under control, Onn Hafiz said they have not yet been fully extinguished.
“More than 300 personnel are involved in round-the-clock operations, including the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence, police, Irrigation and Drainage Department, environmental agencies, local councils, Public Works Department and other relevant agencies,” he said.
Onn Hafiz emphasised that public safety and environmental sustainability remain top priorities.
“Firefighting efforts will continue until the fires are completely extinguished, with the timeline depending on current weather conditions. The Johor State Disaster Fund covers all operational costs,” he added.
He reassured the public that air quality in the affected areas remains at a safe level but urged caution.
“People should reduce outdoor activities if the smoke becomes thicker and seek immediate medical attention if they experience respiratory problems,” he said.
Onn Hafiz said water levels in the state’s reservoirs and main catchment ponds remain sufficient for domestic and daily needs despite the prolonged dry spell.
He also reminded the public to avoid any open burning, warning that strict action can be taken under environmental laws against those responsible.
