MIRI: Bushfires in this division are still raging, burning several areas including those in Marudi district. In Miri, at least five areas were reportedly burned by the raging bushfires on Thursday night.
According to Miri Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) chief Zone 6 Supt Law Poh Kiong, those areas included an oil palm estate in Kampung Padang Kelulit; area along Jalan Bakam; at the vicinity of Kampung Hunai in Bekenu and a landfill site in Kuala Baram Batu 1.
At an estate in Kampung Padang Kelulit in Sibuti, Miri Air Unit (Mi171) was immediately dispatched to the scene for an operation dubbed “water bombing”.
As at 10.34am yesterday 20 buckets were delivered during the water bombing to put out bushfires that have reportedly destroyed nearly 200 acres of the 237-acre estate.
Meanwhile, in Marudi some 15 hectares of an estate in Sungai Karap have been reported burned by the raging bushfires since April 6.
Dozens of firemen were deployed to the effected areas respectively. Apart from these, several volunteers that included local villagers were also seen helping to extinguish the inferno.
Fortunately, there has been no report of fatality or injury so far. Miri has been experiencing hot and dry winds for a couple of months. At press time, firemen were still battling the bushfires from advancing further.
