KUCHING (May 8): The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) has placed a helicopter on standby to deal with forest fires in Sarawak.

According to Bomba Sarawak director Datu Khirudin Drahman, the M17 is a large helicopter with the capacity of carrying up to 2,000 litres of water – making it the most viable unit for water-bombing operations to put out raging forest fires.

“The helicopter is in Miri – if we look at our records, the area where forest fires have actually occurred and many roads are difficult to access, are there (Miri).