'Smoke hasn't reached Singapore's airspace': Johor deputy fire chief on Kota Tinggi peatland blaze

Firefighting efforts at the ongoing peatland fire in Taman Bayu Damai township in Pengerang municipality in Johor's Kota Tinggi district has reached nearly 55 per cent completion following the use of helicopters for aerial firefighting. 

AsiaOne reported on Tuesday (Jan 27) that the fire had affected an area of about 99.54ha, with the involvement of helicopters on Wednesday expected to speed up firefighting efforts, according to a senior fire department official. 

Firefighters also deployed firebreak techniques such as flooding to contain the fire, which started last Friday (Jan 23), and have since put out fires across 54.63ha, or 54.8 per cent of the affected area. 

Bernama reported Assistant Fire Commissioner Muhammad Al Mustakim Abdul Hady, deputy director at Johor's fire and rescue department, as saying that the department is closely monitoring the smoke situation to ensure that it does not affect the airspace of Singapore. 

"From yesterday's state disaster management committee meeting, we were told that smoke hasn't reached Singapore's airspace... we will keep monitoring its (smoke) movement, said the deputy director on Wednesday. 

As of Wednesday, a total of 153 residents from 50 families have been moved to two temporary evacuation centres. 

Wet weather over weekend should alleviate 'smoke haze': NEA

In an update posted to its Facebook page at about 6.30pm, Singapore's National Environment Agency said that at least one hotspot was detected in Johor on Wednesday. 

"Given the prevailing northerly and north-easterly winds, smoke plumes from persistent fires may drift towards Singapore," the agency added. 

It also noted that wet weather is forecast to return this weekend. "The anticipated return of wet weather this weekend should help suppress hotspots and alleviate any smoke haze." 

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department's forecast, isolated rain is expected over Johor Bahru on Saturday and Sunday. 

Checks by AsiaOne on NEA's hourly PM2.5 reading at 9.20pm show that the air quality remains in the normal range. 

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editor@asiaone.com