KUANTAN: As several parts of the country is expected to experience hot and dry weather, Pahang Fire and Rescue Department is on full alert for possible peat and bush fires.
State Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Mohd Zahar Abdullah said a total of 1,046 personnel, including 114 auxiliary firefighters, are on standby for eventualities during the dry spell, which is expected to last until April.
"Firemen stationed in Zone One (Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin) are familiar with the standard operating procedures (SOP) to face the peat and bush fires as they have experienced similar situations during the previous years.
"Personnel at 10 fire stations in Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin are on standby 'round-the-clock'.
"Among the hot spots include peat soil areas at Bukit Palas, the Gebeng industrial area in Kuantan and several plantations in Rompin.
"The Rompin-Nenasi road is also another hot spot where open fires were previously reported there," he told reporters after the state Fire and Rescue Department's monthly assembly at its headquarters at Indera Mahkota, here, today.
Zahar said the department had also met and advised plantation owners and residents in Rompin to take extra precautions during the dry season to curb open burning.
"Anglers and plantation workers are reminded not to carry out open burning as sometimes a small fire used for cooking in the jungle could lead to the loss of property. In this season, the peat swamps will completely dry up, making it easy for a bush fire to spread and the peat fires spread deep into the ground.
"Since the Penor area is also prone to peat soil fires, the department will usually set up a temporary base at the Penor Prison to store the firefighting and monitor the situation in case of peat fires. We are also working closely with several other agencies to help tackle the bush and peat fires."
Zahar added the Fire and Rescue Department is also relying on information from the Meteorological Department to detect open burning through satellites.