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14th March, 2010
KOTA KINABALU: Reports of bush and forest fires in East Coast is minimal and not alarming compared to those in West Coast because majority of the land was cultivated and managed by corporate oil palm plantations, said Khirudin Drahman (pictured) from the State Fire and Rescue Department (FRD).
“The oil palm plantation’s management helps us to monitor open fire burning activities in their plantation areas and takes steps to prevent fire incident,” said Khirudin.
Khirudin said leave applications for all FRD officers and fire fighters assigned to fire district stations including those in Jalan Lintas FRD headquarters had been temporarily frozen until the drought season is over.
“We need every personnel on stand-by to attend to fire incidents especially rampant bush and forest fires,” said Khirudin.
He said district fire officers would collaborate with District Officers (DO) to get assistance from fire volunteer teams and Village Security and Development committee (JKKK) to help extinguish and contain bush and forest fires in their respective areas before firemen arrive
“Don’t wait for the firemen to arrive because by then the fire would have gone out of control,” said Khirudin.
He said rampant bush and forest fires were reported in the west coast especially along the Kota Kinabalu-Kudat and Kota Kinabalu-Beaufort main roads since February.
“The fires were the work of several irresponsible individuals who were involved in open burning like land owners clearing their land for cultivation, hunters, motorists and bus commuters throwing cigarette butts along the main road,” said Khirudin.
He said relevant enforcement agencies recorded heavy Air Pollution Index (API) and resulted in thick fog contributed by smokes from bush and forest fires in the west coast.
Khirudin advised members of the public to refrain from open fire burning activities during this dry spell.
From early this year until March 2, FRD received 288 bush and forest fire calls and the calls significantly swelled to 496 nine days later.
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