Sabah on alert for possible forest fires

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Fire and Rescue Department is ready to face any eventuality, including forest fires, during the current period of drought, its deputy director-general (administration) Datuk Wan Mohamad Nor Ibrahim said.

He said the department had adequate expertise and equipment to fight forest fires.

“We will also take other measures like freezing firefighters' leave and increasing their working hours from 12 to 24 hours if the situation worsens,” he said yesterday after closing a fire science basic course at the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department headquarters in Likas.

Wan Mohamad said the department would also closely monitor forest fires in the state via satellite.

“We face a drought every year in March and April. Sometimes, there will be forest fires which can cause haze,” he said.

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