Kuantan: The Pahang branch of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is conducting 24-hour monitoring at the Jerangau-Jabor landfill site in Mukim Sungai Karang here to prevent the fire from spreading. Gebeng Fire and Rescue Station chief Zahidah Ali said her team had successfully brought the blaze, which covered an area of nearly one hectare, under control by 5.30 pm yesterday.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, monitoring conducted by 40 officers and members who have been assigned to two-shift duties there was also intended, among other things, to ensure the fire did not spread to high-risk locations. She said the fire area was located between five and eight metres from gas pipelines, electrical substations, and underground fibre optic cables.

‘When we started operations, we continued to create firebreaks, and the risk of the fire spreading to the relevant areas was also low. Additionally, stakeholders also took joint action to carry out monitoring work to prevent the fire from spreading,” she said when met by reporters here today.

She mentioned that among the challenges in the operation, which began on Sunday, was the hot weather, but her team still adhered to safety aspects by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). A Bernama survey found that thick smoke enveloped the area and also disrupted visibility for road users in the area.

Zahidah stated that the contractor has also covered the landfill with soil to reduce the smoke. On the cause of the incident, she said it is still under investigation, however, she did not rule out the possibility that it was caused by the hot weather.

Yesterday, the Department of Environment (DOE) announced that the fire caused an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in Balok Baru, Kuantan and Kemaman, Terengganu. Today at 8 am, the API recorded in Balok Baru was 139, but it decreased to a moderate reading of 96 at 3 pm today.