Strong winds over the past few days caused the forest fire at Kampung Pekajang in Iskandar Puteri, near Johor Bahru, to spread to a new area of 98ha today as opposed to just 16ha last Friday.

However, Johor Fire and Rescue Department director Yahaya Madis said the department had worked hard for 24 hours to handle it and had extinguished 45 percent or 44ha of fire.