PUTRAJAYA, March 5 — The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is using drones equipped with thermal cameras to co-ordinate operations in putting out forest fires in the country, said its director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.
He said the detection of heat, areas of underground fires and monitoring of the burning sites at night could be carried out with the technology.
‘’We can also determine if the number of firemen at the location is adequate and facilitate firemen reporting on size of the areas under forest fire,’’ he said.
He told reporters after receiving his Covid-19 vaccine shot at the Putrajaya Health Clinic in Precinct 18, here, today.
In an operation to put out a forest fire in Selangor, Mohammad Hamdan said two drones were used and it enabled the firemen to quickly detect the sources of water at the fire location.
Mohammad Hamdan said the department received 5,754 emergency calls on forest fires nationwide from January until yesterday.
‘’Currently, forest fires often erupt in Selangor and several areas in Johor. JBPM is ready and will mobilise all assets to conduct operations to put out fires,’’ he said.
On March 3, Department of Environment director-general Norlin Jaafar declared a ban on open burning in Selangor, Pahang and Johor until a date to be determined later.
With the declaration, all parties are prohibited from conducting open burning or allowing their land or premises to be intruded, resulting in intentional or unintentional open burning.
— Bernama
