PENGERANG, Johor – Wading through knee-deep swamp waters and loose soil under the scorching weather, firefighters were racing against time to snuff out

a peat fire that had been raging

underground for more than five days in the Punggai area of Pengerang, Johor.

Less than 150m away, in the Taman Bayu Damai neighbourhood, rows of homes lay shrouded in thick white smoke. The air was flecked with tiny black particles of ash, and the smell of burning made breathing difficult.