THE Selangor Fire and Rescue Department has extinguished nearly 50% of a blaze engulfing 50ha near the Kuala Langat Selatan Forest Reserve.

Director Norazam Khamis said the firefighting operation may take several more days due to the current dry spell and strong winds, which contribute to the flames spreading rapidly on peatland.

“The fire may have started a week earlier than was reported to us last Friday, and it has now spread to an area of 50ha involving six compartments,” he told a press conference near the scene yesterday.

He said preliminary investigations showed that the fire was likely caused by illegal burning carried out to clear land for cash-crop farming.

State Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency director Mohammad Rosli Kassim, meanwhile, said a Bombardier CL-415 aircraft has released 285,000l of water since Sunday to help put out the flames. – Bernama, March 4, 2020.