IPOH: A fire at Gunung Laba near Kampung Air Ganda, Gerik about 140km from here destroyed 16.19ha of hill forest this morning.
A Perak Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said the department received a call on the blaze at about 8.34am, before a fire engine from the Gerik Fire and Rescue Station with 14 firefighters rushed to the location.
He said the operation also involved assistance from Pengkalan Hulu and Taiping stations, as well as 12 personnel from the Forestry Department.
“The fire occurred on two hills, Bukit Laba at 214 ft high and Gunung 7 at 470 ft near an Orang Asli village in Kampung Sungai Papan which is about 1.5km from the fire site.
“However the flame was successfully brought under control and there was no need to evacuate Orang Asli villagers,” he said when contacted, here today.
The spokesman also said the operation to douse the fire at Gunung Korbu forest reserve in Sungai Siput was still going on this morning.
He said the fire fighting operation which entered the third day is in the forest reserve between Pos Legap and Pos Mu is to extinguish the smothering ground at about 5% of the forest.
Thirty firemen were involved in the operation today assisted by 19 Sungai Siput Forestry Department employees and police. — Bernama
