MIRI – Sarawak has been placed on high alert following open burning cases that are causing massive forest fires.
State Fire and Rescue Department director Khirudin Drahman said that the department is monitoring the northern half of the state for blazes.
“The main areas of the wildfires are in Bintulu, Miri, Limbang and Lawas.
“We are working out plans with the Department of Environment and Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board now for ground monitoring,” he said in a statement.
With the rainy season coming to an end, the authorities are focusing on open burning, which is rampant in Miri.
State Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Henderi Ardimansyah said the department is also on alert due to the current dry weather, which can spark wildfires.
“Wildfires are also caused by land-clearing activities.
“We will use drones to carry out aerial surveillance in places like Miri,” he said in a programme over RTM’s TV1.
In Miri, the divisional Disaster Management Committee is holding a meeting to plan out the deployment of Rela units to halt open burning activities, usually seen in Miri and Kuala Baram.
Forest fires due to open burning is the main reason for the occurrence of the yearly haze in the state.
Two years ago, the Air Pollution Index in Miri surged beyond the “very poor” 400 mark due to forest fires and subsequent smog. – The Vibes, March 1, 2021
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