GEORGE TOWN: Firefighters took more than six hours to put out a 7.3ha forest fire along Jalan Chee Seng in Tanjung Bungah near here, yesterday.
Bagan Jermal Fire and Rescue Department operations commander Wan Chik Ariffin Mohd Ismail said they received a distress call about the fire at about 4.42pm.
He said they arrived at the scene about 10 minutes later and took more than six hours to put out the blaze.
"More than 50 firefighters were roped in to put out the forest fire during the more than six hour-long operation.
"When we arrived at the scene, we found three parts of the 7.3ha forest destroyed.
"Firefighters had to walk to the site of the fire due to the hilly terrain. We also faced difficulties due to the uneven ground," he said today.
Wan Chik Ariffin said they put out the fire using jet shooters.
"The flames were brought under control at about 9.41pm and put out about an hour later. Firefighters on the ground conducted a size-up before controlling and putting out the fire.
"The whole operation ended at 11.30pm," he said, adding that there was no report of anyone injured in the incident.
The operation was also assisted by volunteer firefighters from Mount Erskine, Paya Terubong and Penang Hill.
The cause of the fire is still being probed.