THE Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) team doing aerial water bombings at forest fire sites near the Sarawak Brunei border detected another huge fire spreading very near to Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Baram.
MMEA director for Miri Captain Mohd Shafie Paing today said the new forest fire detected near the school is estimated to be at least 60 acres in size.
That is roughly the size of 60 football fields combined.
"Our MMEA bombardier aircraft are carrying out intensive aerial water bombings and we have doused some 80 per cent of the fires at the initial site.
"That hotspot, which is the size of roughly about 220 football fields combined is still being tackled, while our team spotted another forest fire near SK Kuala Baram which is about 60 acres in size," he told reporters in Miri.
He said the water bombings will intensify today with the Bombardier aircraft using water from the Baram River at the border fires and also near the school, said Captain Shafie.
Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department in the meantime said ground teams are still fighting the fires in the peat forests.
The fires are still raging due to the strong wind and extreme heat.
The population of about 120,000 people living in the Kuala Baram subdistrict near the Sarawak border have been told to stop outdoor activities due to air pollution caused by these raging forest fires near the border.
The Miri Fire and Rescue Department issued the advice four days ago, saying that dense smog is being blown from these wildfires. - The Vibes, March 29, 2024
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