KUANTAN: Nearly 60ha of a fire spanning 300ha of an oil palm plantation in Rompin has been put out as of 5pm Saturday (March 28).
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) assistant director of operations and rescue, Mohd Salahuddin Isa, said 85 water-bombing runs had been carried out to contain the blaze, using 68,000 litres of water.
"The operation area has been divided into four sectors, with today’s focus on sectors A and C, involving three teams, including the air unit conducting water-bombing operations," he said when contacted on Sunday (March 29).
"Sectors B and D are currently under control, and we expect the plantation fire to be fully extinguished within a week."
Meanwhile, according to the Air Pollutant Index Management System, air quality in Rompin was unhealthy, with an air pollutant index (API) reading of 152 as of 10am.
Pahang Environment Departmentdirector Zakaria Ahmad said checks would be carried out to determine whether the fire or other factors caused the unhealthy API reading. – Bernama
