STRONG winds have caused the peat fire at Seria to spread along KM18 to KM19 last night.

Seria’s Acting Station Commander of Fire and Rescue Muhd Ali Hassan told The Brunei Times that the fire picked up around 7pm, and 17 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the fire.

Firefighters were seen extinguishing the fire on the roadside last night.

Muhd Ali said that it was a preventive measure to deter the fire from spreading to the roads.

The firefighters also faced a limited supply of water, said Muhd Ali, as they are only able to re-supply water back and forth from fire stations due to a lack of river or water sources.

Looking at the situation, Muhd Ali said there may be thick smoke covering the affected areas in the morning.

He advised road users to be careful and drive slowly, not only for their safety, but also for the safety of firefighters working n the roadside.

The Brunei Times also checked the areas around the Badas Pipeline and Sg Bera Industrial Site around 11am, where thick smoke covered the road, resulting in poor visibility.

Muhd Ali said the same situation may be expected today, and he hoped members of the public would cooperate by driving carefully and slowly should they pass the area.