MIRI: Firefighters battled through the night to contain a fast-moving forest fire that swept across more than four hectares of land in Similajau, Bintulu, highlighting the speed at which such blazes can escalate under dry conditions.
The fire was reported at 7pm on Tuesday (Mar 24), prompting an immediate deployment from the Kidurong fire and rescue station.
Crews travelled roughly 30 km from the Industrial Training Institute (IKM) in Bintulu, arriving on scene within 38 minutes to find the fire already well established and spreading.
Initial assessments indicated that around three acres of forest were burning on arrival. Within hours, the affected area had expanded to approximately 4.05 hectares, suggesting a rapid rate of spread across dense vegetation.
Operations commander Senior Fire Superintendent Tawang Lingem led a seven-member team to bring the blaze under control.
Firefighters deployed two 400-foot hose lines with water supplied from a fire rescue tender and a tanker due to the absence of accessible natural water sources.
Despite the logistical constraints, crews made steady progress overnight. By 12.20am, approximately 80 per cent of the fire, or 3.40 hectares, had been extinguished. Efforts were continuing to contain the remaining 1.10 hectares, where pockets of fire were still active and not yet fully controlled.
No injuries or fatalities have been reported. The police were also present to assist with security and coordination at the scene.
The cause of the fire has yet to be established.
Firefighters remained at the scene past midnight, focusing on extinguishing residual hotspots and preventing the fire from spreading further into surrounding forest reserves.
