The capital of the state of Pahang, Kuantan is going through a difficult period due to significant forest fires. Over the past few days, fire crews have been battling devastating fires in several locations. The flames, fuelled by the dry season, have ravaged areas of peatland, bushland and plantations, creating a thick haze of smoke. Residential areas are now shrouded in this dangerous haze.
Forest fires: Critical situation in various locations
Zulfadil Zakaria, from the Pahang Fire and Rescue Department, reports that Sungai Ular, Taman Pandan Damai and Taman Inderasempurna have been particularly affected near the Sultan Ahmad Shah Maritime Academy, where four hectares of land are ablaze. Access to the site is proving difficult, hampering fire-fighting efforts.
To overcome this obstacle, the Department for the Environment has stepped in to help by deploying drones. These devices help to pinpoint the affected areas, making it easier to deploy emergency response teams. Fortunately, no loss of life has been reported so far.
Ongoing challenges
Thick smoke from the fires near Taman Indera Sempurna is severely reducing visibility on the Jalan Kuantan-Pekan road. Furthermore, ash from the fires is drifting into neighbouring residential areas, making the situation even worse for local residents.
Since the start of the dry season, the Pahang Fire and Rescue Service has received around 800 calls relating to fires across the region, 150 of which were from Kuantan. The teams are out in the field day and night, sometimes having to tackle several fires at once, which is pushing them to their limits.