By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, July 31: Sarawak is bracing for the full impact of an intensifying hot and dry spell, with 220 hotspots detected statewide and more than 15,000 people, particularly in Miri, already affected by drinking water shortages.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said several fires have broken out in recent days, including in Kuala Baram, Mukah, Marudi and Kota Samarahan, with the largest burning through 56 hectares of peatland in Mukah.
“We were informed that all the fires are now under control. In Mukah, there was heavy rain this morning, and we hope it will help extinguish the fire.
“However, everyone must remain on high alert to ensure the impact of any open burning or water shortage is kept to a minimum,” he said during a press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia today following an SDMC meeting involving all relevant agencies.
He noted that the deteriorating air quality in Mukah, which recorded the highest Air Pollutant Index (API) reading at 160 today, underscores the urgency of controlling fire outbreaks before conditions worsen further. The rest of the State remains within the normal API range.
Uggah, who is also the Deputy Premier of Sarawak, said peatland areas pose a particular threat during dry seasons due to their highly combustible nature. Fires in such areas can easily spread from 10 to 100 acres if not detected early.
To strengthen early response, the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) has been instructed to deploy drones in high-risk zones to detect smoke and underground fire activity, allowing firefighting teams to respond quickly before the fires spread further.
In Kuala Baram, authorities have also reactivated dedicated fire suppression infrastructure, including tube wells and fire watchtowers.
Additionally, a water bombing helicopter has been deployed to assist firefighting efforts in Mukah due to difficult ground access. However, an amphibious firefighting aircraft remains grounded in Kuala Lumpur for maintenance.
To prevent further outbreaks, Uggah said NREB has suspended all previously approved open burning permits for plantations as of two weeks ago. Open burning is now strictly prohibited across the State.
While fire suppression efforts are being ramped up, Uggah also revealed that Sarawak is concurrently facing water supply issues linked to the ongoing dry spell.
“So far, we have received 675 requests for drinking water, involving over 15,000 residents from 343 families statewide, with the majority from Miri,” he said.
To address this, 12 water tankers previously provided by the Sarawak government have been deployed across divisions to support areas experiencing acute shortages.
Meanwhile, the Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) has reported that water sources remain stable at present, but they are closely monitoring the situation in affected and at-risk areas.
“Some areas such as Kalagus in Limbang are under observation,” Uggah added.
When asked whether cloud seeding would be considered, he said all mitigation options are on the table. However, he emphasised that such operations depend on the presence of moisture-bearing clouds.
“We cannot just drop salt without clouds. It won’t produce rain—just salt falling from the sky,” he remarked.
While mitigation efforts continue, Uggah gave his assurance that SDMC, together with all divisional disaster committees and agencies, is fully prepared to respond swiftly to any further developments related to the ongoing hot spell. — DayakDaily
