30ha peatland fire in Betong, water bombing control Lundu blaze
SIBU: A 30ha peatland fire broke out at a former oil palm plantation along Jalan Bungin, Serembang, in Betong today, with firefighting operations currently underway to douse the blaze.
SIBU, SARAWAK - A 30ha peatland fire erupted at a former oil palm plantation near Jalan Bungin in Betong today, prompting immediate firefighting efforts. The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department was alerted at 2.44pm when six personnel from the Betong Fire Station rushed to the scene. Despite their rapid response, they faced challenges due to limited access routes and the lack of nearby water sources.
The department requested assistance from the Betong Drainage and Irrigation Department, which provided an excavator and smaller water tankers to help combat the blaze. Meanwhile, in Lundu, the fire department's Air Unit carried out 13 water-bombing flights to control a smaller forest fire covering around 2ha in the Samunsam Forest Reserve.
These aerial operations began at 12.55pm and were completed by 2.47pm, leaving about 1.8ha of the burnt area fully extinguished.
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