Johor firefighters battle spreading Pengerang peat fire as haze hits Singapore

SINGAPORE – Firefighters are battling a spreading peat fire in Pengerang, Johor, about 30km across the strait east of Singapore, and have called for helicopter water drops to contain the blaze that has forced over 100 residents to evacuate.

As at 7pm on Jan 27, the fire had spread to 99.54ha, according to a fire department official. Since starting on Jan 23, it has expanded 20 times its initial size of around 5ha to cover an area roughly the size of 120 football fields.

It is one of several hot spots in Johor causing haze that has affected air quality in parts of Singapore, with some Johor residents reporting thick smoke billowing into their homes.

Superintendent Muhammad Tarmizi Md Jaafar, assistant director of the fire and rescue operations division at the Johor Fire and Rescue Department, told The Straits Times on Jan 27 that the Johor fire department has called for helicopter assistance from Malaysia’s central airbase in Subang, Selangor, to commence water bombing operations in the affected area on Jan 28.

“Depending on the helicopter’s availability from Subang Airbase, we expect (the water bombing operations) to commence tomorrow (Jan 28) morning,” he said.

But Supt Tarmizi said the situation in Taman Bayu Damai is under control after officers dug a canal using an excavator to isolate the burning areas.

“We have managed to control the spread of the wildfire, and the next step is to initiate total water flooding of the peat grounds,” he said, noting that they have yet to receive helicopter assistance.

The peat soil fire is located in a forested plot of land near the Taman Bayu Damai estate, along Jalan Sungai Kapal, in the Punggai area of Pengerang, about 55km from Johor Bahru.

Pengerang state assemblyman Aznan Tamin told reporters on Jan 26 that the peat fire was caused by dry and hot weather as well as strong winds.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Jan 24 that “a detected hot spot and smoke plume in Johor that is near Singapore” had caused air quality in the eastern part of Singapore to drop to the unhealthy range.

On Jan 26, the agency said it was closely monitoring the haze situation after a burning smell became noticeable in some parts of the country, with a map indicating several hot spots of “vegetation fires” to the north of Singapore.

In an update on Jan 27, NEA said that as at 6pm, Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index

ranged from 39 to 61

, within the good to moderate range.

“However, with dry weather ahead, prevailing winds from the north and north-east could transport smoke haze from any persistent fires towards Singapore,” the agency said in a Facebook post around 6.25pm.

As at 11pm on Jan 27, the PM2.5 reading for the central part of Singapore was 10, while in eastern Singapore it was 20, according to NEA’s website.

PM2.5 refers to fine inhalable particles in the air measuring up to 2.5 micrometres in diameter. Air quality is deemed “normal” if the reading is in the zero to 55 range, while a PM2.5 reading between 151 and 250 indicates a “high” level of such particles in the air.

Johor’s top official for health and environment Ling Tian Soon told ST that two temporary shelters had been set up in the area on Jan 26, with one in Taman Bayu Damai taking in 86 residents and another housing 28 people at a government school.

In a statement shared with ST, Mr Ling said five people had been warded in hospital owing to smoke inhalation issues, while two others required outpatient care.

One 22-year-old firefighter suffered burns and received treatment in a clinic.

Taman Bayu Damai residents told ST that thick smoke began billowing into their homes on Jan 23, as the fire crept closer to the neighbourhood.

“Our house was covered by smoke and ash for two days since Friday due to the fires, but the situation is improving as the fire has spread to other areas,” said Mr Muhammad Aizat Mengom, 32.

The restaurant owner said his two children were coughing due to the smoke during the two days.

“We decided to stay put at home and close all our doors and windows, while switching on the ventilation fan in the kitchen, because the situation was very bad.”

Supt Tarmizi said there were 71 cases of forest and peat fires across 10 districts in Johor on Jan 26. Johor Bahru recorded 25 wildfire cases – the highest in the state. As at around 4pm on Jan 27, Supt Tarmizi said there were 27 wildfire cases across seven districts in the state.

Data using Google Maps indicated wildfires in Punggai in the Pengerang district, and one wildfire spot at the “severe” level farther up north in the coastal sub-district of Sedili Kechil, Kota Tinggi.

In Senai, near the Johor Bahru Senai International Airport, firefighters also told ST that they had been grappling with peat fires in the area.

Mr Ch’ng Kae Shyang, chairman of the Senai Volunteer Firefighting Force, said it had put out a wildfire the size of about 100 sq m in Senai Jaya – about 22km from Johor Bahru – on the evening of Jan 26.

“The fire had been raging for two days since Jan 25 after we received a report of workers burning trash in the area,” said Mr Ch’ng.

“We initially had put out the fire on Jan 25, but it continued raging underneath the soil as the weather is dry and hot.”