Mukah fire and rescue station chief Nicholas Belulin said the firefighting operation was carried out by the Sarawak fire and rescue department using an Mi-171 helicopter equipped with an underslung water bombing system.

“A total of four water bombings were carried out at 3.30pm, releasing 6,360 litres of water over the affected area,” he said in a statement early this morning.

“This prompt action managed to slow the fire’s movement and helped prevent it from spreading to nearby areas.”

However, the operation was halted after 42 minutes due to technical issues with the aircraft’s system.

“Inspection found that several components need to be replaced. The spare parts will be delivered by the maintenance team via road tonight,” he said.

Nicholas added that yesterday’s operation was conducted in hazy conditions, with visibility at around 8km and winds blowing at speeds of 10 to 15 knots.

He said the bushfire in Mukah was detected on July 24, with firefighting efforts ongoing in stages since then.

“The fire and rescue department has been conducting aerial monitoring and creating fire breaks to prevent the blaze from spreading any further into oil palm plantations and nearby settlements.”

He added that water bombing was introduced as an additional measure as the fire had proven difficult to control through conventional ground-based methods due to the vast area and limited accessibility.

Operations are expected to resume today, pending confirmation that the aircraft is safe and operational.