A Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Bombardier CL415 aircraft conducts a water bombing exercise in Kuala Baram, Miri August 14, 2019. — Bernama pic

MIRI, Aug 16 — A total of 198,000 litres of water was used to fight a forest fire in Kuala Baram today.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sarawak director First Admiral Robert Teh Geok Chuan said two flights, using the Bombardier CL415 aircraft, were carried out by the agency today, with the first at 9am and the second at 2pm.

The water bombing method proved effective in controlling the spread of the fire, whereby at 4pm today, the Air Pollutants Index (API) reading at the Miri Industrial Training Institute dropped to moderate, at 87, he said when contacted by Bernama.

Teh said MMEA would conduct two more flights for water bombing tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Miri Fire and Rescue Department head Law Poh Kiong, in a statement, said that the joint forest fire-fighting operation with MMEA today, which entered its 16th day, covered an area of 248 hectares.

Today’s operation involved 52 personnel and will resume tomorrow, he added. — Bernama