MUAR, Jan 30 — A peatland fire has damaged nearly 5,000 pineapple plants of a farmer in Kampung Parit Hj Abd Aziz, Sungai Balang Besar here, causing losses of about RM10,000.
The farmer, Abd Malik Kadri, 60, said this was the first fire since he began cultivating cash crops on the peatland about five years ago, which had previously been planted with oil palm.
He said the fire, involving Morris and Josapine pineapples, first broke out on Tuesday morning. He initially tried to put out the flames himself but failed as the fire intensified, prompting him to call the fire department.
“On Tuesday, a team of firefighters from Batu Pahat came to extinguish the blaze, but yesterday the farm, covering about two and a half acres, started smoking and caught fire again.
“It may be due to the peat soil, which can retain embers, combined with hot and windy weather, causing my farm to burn again,” he told Bernama.
Malik said he had managed to harvest some of his crops a few days before the fire, but the new plants are already wilting and may struggle to survive and produce fruit.
Meanwhile, a neighbouring farmer, Mohammad Musa Jamil, 61, said his farm was also affected, with 15 oil palm trees burned, and he is now taking precautions to prevent the fire from spreading.
“I will avoid open burning during the hot season, especially when disposing of oil palm fronds, and will immediately contact the fire department if a fire occurs, because fire on peat soil is difficult to extinguish,” he said.
A Bernama survey at the scene found 10 personnel from the Muar Fire and Rescue Station working to extinguish the fire from as early as 8 am, but the operation was hampered by a shortage of water, as nearby canals had dried up.
The incident comes amid an increased risk of open fires nationwide, with nearly 3,000 fire cases recorded across the country this month.
The fire department has also identified hundreds of hotspot areas nationwide, including in Johor, linked to hot weather, water shortages, and soil conditions such as peat, which easily retains heat and embers.
Muar district police chief ACP Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz advised the public to remain vigilant against fire risks and to avoid open burning, as it is an offence punishable under the law.
