ALOR SETAR: Several spots of fire, which had been put out in Gunung Baling, reignited today due to the hot weather and strong winds, said Baling Fire and Rescue Station chief Mohd Jamil Mat Daud.
However, he said these spots of fire were at nearby areas and the situation was under control, with the fire brigade continuing its operation to douse the pockets of fire using the land route.
“This morning, we used a MI-17 helicopter to trace and extinguish the spots of fire in areas which were difficult to gain access to as that was also when it was not too hot and the wind was not too strong.
“But we had to stop using the helicopter earlier than expected following strong winds in the afternoon. Other than using the fire beater and jet shooter, we also used the Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP),” he said when contacted by Bernama today, adding that they would continue to monitor the situation to ensure it did not spread to the industrial and residential areas.
“This evening, it looked like it was going to rain but so far it hasn’t. Heavy rain will help speed up the fire-extinguishing process.”
The cause of the fire, which started on Wednesday, has yet to be ascertained but firefighters did not rule out the possibility of it having been triggered by some mountain climbers. – Bernama