51 hectare peatland fire put out after four days
Firefighters said operations were hampered by hot weather and strong winds, lack of open water sources, and narrow road shoulders with soft soil.
A fire broke out on a 51.4 hectare peatland near Pengerang, Johor on August 24, according to the Johor Fire and Rescue Department. The blaze was brought under control on August 28 after four days of firefighting efforts. Of the affected area, 35.6 hectares was located along the Punggai-Sebana Cove road, while 15.8 hectares was situated in the boundary area.
Firefighters faced several challenges during the operation. The intense heat and strong winds contributed to the rapid spread of the fire through the peat layer. The scarcity of open water sources and the narrow road shoulders with soft soil further complicated the firefighting operations. To overcome these obstacles, the firefighters employed a relay pumping system, utilizing 12 water tankers that made shuttle runs to supply water to the fire engines.
To contain the fire, firebreaks were constructed using two excavators, effectively isolating the flames from the surrounding peatland. The senior operations commander, Baharuddin Idris, attributed the successful extinguishment of the fire to the determination and resilience of the firefighters despite the challenging conditions they encountered. The Fire and Rescue Department has pledged to continue monitoring the area to prevent any possibility of the fire being rekindled.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
