IPOH, Sept 10 — The forest fire involving a research plot at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Bidor Research Station was extinguished on Tuesday following swift and coordinated action by various agencies.
In a statement late yesterday, FRIM said the fire was put out at about 2.30 pm, while monitoring along the perimeter of the affected area continued until 5.30 pm. The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) ended the operation at 5.50 pm.
“FRIM director-general Datuk Dr Ismail Parlan, together with FRIM Forestry Biotechnology Division director Dr Nor Hasnida Hassan and Forest Plantation Programme head Dr Rosdi Koter, went to the site yesterday morning.
“They were briefed by JBPM personnel and conducted an on-site inspection of the affected research plot,” the statement said.
Yesterday, Perak JBPM operations assistant director Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the fire, which broke out in a 2.42-hectare forested area on September 7, was reported to the department at about 5.42 pm.
According to FRIM, an assessment of the fire’s impact on the affected research plot will also be carried out in line with the agency’s research, forest management and conservation objectives.
The statement said the fire was detected by SPF Bidor personnel during a routine patrol at 4.56 pm on September 7, before JBPM and police arrived at the scene at about 5.50 pm.
The fire, however, spread to an adjacent area at 8.50 pm before being brought under control by JBPM at 10.50 pm. Containment efforts and monitoring continued until midnight to ensure there was no recurrence.
The following day, firefighting operations resumed at 9 am, with excavators used to dig a one-metre-deep firebreak along the perimeter.
Various agencies were involved in the operation, including the Perak Forestry Department, which conducted additional monitoring using drones.
