Busy day for firefighters

Several forest fires occurred last Thursday at Belait and Tutong Districts. The forest fires which occurred around afternoon caused firefighters from several stations in Belait and Tutong busy for the whole day.

Another major forest fire occurred this afternoon (21 June 2012, Thursday) near the government barracks at Jalan Singa Menteri, Kuala Belait. The forest fire occurred just a day after the major forest fire at Kampong Sungai Teraban last Wednesday.

The forest fire caused the housing are covered in smoke. A team of 11 firefighters in two fire engines led by Assitant Station Officer (ASO) Sarkawi from Belait Fire Station rushed to the scene after receiving emergency call from the residents. In order to prevent the fire from spreading as well as endangering the nearby housing area the firefighters had to take immediate action to control and extinguish the blaze. However as the firefighters try to control the blaze strong winds occurred and help the blaze to spread to the forest.

As the fire tend to spread inwards the firefighters had to walk inside the forest along with their fire hoses in order to control and fully extinguish it. As this news was written the firefighters still continue to control and extinguish the fire. The forest fire at the Jalan Singa Menteri government housing is the second time after the similar incident occurred at the same area last year.

Meanwhile few hours after the fire at Jalan Singa Menteri two separate forest fires occurred at Lumut area and another one near the Sungai Liang Agriculture Station. The fires which occurred around 5pm caused the main road at Sungai Liang and Lumut covered in thick smoke and ashes from the burning vegetation. A team of firefighters and two fire engines from Sungai Liang fire station rushed and had to divided themselves to control and extinguish the flame effectively.

Two separate forest fires also reported to occurred at two areas at Sengkarai Village, Tutong around 5:30pm. The fire also sent plumes of thick smoke to the air, a team of firefighters from Tutong Fire Station also rushed to the scene to fight the fire.

The dry and hot weather which occurred across the nation are said to be the cause of forest and bushfires around the country. Thus it cause firefighters across the country to be in full alert and busy weeks to respond to forest and bushfire calls.