One hundred firefighters are preparing to leave for Riau, Sumatra, on Monday, to fight the forest fires there.

The firefighters, from nine States, are deemed the country’s best and have experience fighting peat, ground and forest fires. They will leave after medical screening at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital tomorrow.

Fire and Rescue Department assistant deputy-general (operations) Zurkarnian Mohd Kasim said the team was waiting for the green light.

"Upon getting it, we will load our 30 warjet pumps, four all-terrain vehicles, a truck, four-wheel drives and other equipment," he said today at the department’s station in Cyberjaya.

"We will travel on the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s C130 Hercules from the base in Subang," he said.

TAKING STOCK: Firefighters in Putrajaya labelling their equipment.

"The team will be headed by senior superintendent Nor’Azam Kassim and Abu Obaidat Mohamad. It will be in Riau for a month to assist the Indonesians."

The team has been trained in fighting peat, ground and forest fires and some of them have experience of fire-fighting in Indonesia from their stint in 1997.

Zurkarnian said one of the major problems in Riau may be the lack of water sources. Thus, his men would be equipped with the tools required for the dry method.

"We have yet to receive a report from our counterparts in Indonesia, we have not even established the type of fire — different types of fires require specific fire-fighting equipment and methods.

"We will take equipment for peat, ground and forest fires."

Jakarta wants our help to seed clouds

SHAH ALAM, Sat. — Malaysia will send officers to Jakarta on Monday to assist Indonesia carry out cloud seeding in areas affected by forest fires in Sumatra.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Adenan Satem said Indonesian Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban had requested assistance.

"Indonesia wants us to do some cloud seeding to help them in certain affected areas," he said after accompanying Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on a visit to the National Environmental Data Centre and the Shah Alam Continuous Air Quality Monitoring Station, here.

"Our officers will go to Jakarta to discuss (the request)."