Fire erupts in Malaysian forest

Fire erupts in Malaysian forest

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysia, already blanketed in smog
because of massive forest fires in Indonesia, had about 1,000
hectares of its own timber ablaze in eastern Pahang state
Tuesday, the national Bernama news agency reported.

"It's a very big fire and difficult to control," the agency
quoted deputy director of the Pahang state Fire and Rescue
Services Department, Yahya Madis, as saying.

"The trees were falling one after the other as underground
fire had eaten into their roots," he said.

The agency did not say when the fires started. It said the
cause of the fire has not been identified.

Yahya said 30 firefighters were battling to put out the flames
with more to be mobilized.