NIBONG TEBAL, Jan 22 — Forty-two per cent of the fire at the Pulau Burung landfill, Jalan Baram, here, has been extinguished so far said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He said at the moment, firefighting operation is being carried out through various methods at the remaining burning site involving 58 per cent of the landfill area.

“Investigations by the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) found that about 11 hectares (ha) of the nearly 33 ha of the landfill was gutted by fire and we hope that it will be completely extinguished soon.

“Efforts to create a firebreak have also been done to prevent the blaze from spreading. The Department of Environment (DOE) has deployed a thermal camera-equipped drone to help firefighters identify the fire hotspots,” he told a press conference after attending a Disaster Management Committee meeting, here, today.

Also present were Penang JBPM assistant director (Operations), Mohd Hafiz Hafizan Timaradin and Penang DOE director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab.

The firefighting operation started on Jan 12 with the help of various agencies including the Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP), Penang City Council and the landfill operator, PLB Terang Sdn Bhd.

Meanwhile, Mohd Hafiz Hafizan said apart from the various equipment used to help douse the fire, they also received assistance from Perak and Negeri Sembilan and the air base in Subang, Selangor.

“Firefighters faced difficulties in putting out the fire as the landfill is located near the sea where there are strong winds,” he said adding that the operation involved 50 personnel.

Sharifah Zakiah said the smoke from the fire has so far not affected other districts as a high air pollution index (API) was only detected in the Ladang Byram area.

The Pulau Burung landfill was declared a level one disaster area based on the National Security Council (MKN) No. 20 directive after the fire area there polluted the surrounding area and posed a health risk.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency