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Persistent firefighters keep fighting

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A firefighter douses a bushfire in an orchard near SK Kuala Baram II.

Air over Miri remains healthy thanks to effort of firefighters in keeping bushfires, smoke under control

MIRI: Dozens of firefighters in this division have been battling bushfires and smoke for weeks.

There is no counting the man-hours spent in the heat, thick smoke and carbon smell from the fire, smouldering peat mostly.

The firefighters, who include the Bomba air unit which is tasked with water bombing operations, just refused to give up. They slogged on.

Areas around Curtin.

Thick haze enveloped many areas in this division for the past few weeks, but thanks to the firefighters’ persistent effort, at 5pm yesterday Miri’s Air Pollutant Index (API) reading went down to 66 from 72 at 5am.

API reading of 0-50 is considered good; 51-100 (moderate; 101-200 (unhealthy); 201-300 (very unhealthy); 301-500 (hazardous; and 500 and above (emergency).

“That (decreasing API) can only mean the firefighters have achieved a fair measure of success because good, healthy air is everyone’s concern,” said Miri fire and rescue Zone 6 chief Supt Law Poh Kiong to the press yesterday.

He assured that as of yesterday, the possibility of the API hitting danger zone was remote as the firefighters were still in control of the situation.

An area near Curtin University is clear with no bushfire smoke seen today.

Law, however, admitted that fighting Miri’s bushfires is tricky business.

He said fires can just flare up of a sudden because they may be burning inside the peat soil.

“It is for this reason that their ground crews were made to stay overnight on site for weeks to keep an eye on possible flare ups.

“And today we have been told of bushfires near Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Baram II. The bushfires are detected at an orchard near the primary school and we have mobilised our men to the area,” he said.

A firefighter douses a bushfire in an orchard near SK Kuala Baram II.

Last Friday, Miri Bomba Air Unit received an unexpected visit from a couple, Brandon Tan and wife Michelle Yeo.

During the visit, the couple presented a “Thank You Firemen” card that was written in colourful crayon.

The hand-written card was from the couple’s two boys Joash and Zehariah, who felt the firefighter deserved a pat in the back for a job well done.

“It is the best and most incredible gift we ever received,” said Law.

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