MIRI: Firefighters were unable to directly tackle a 4.6-hectare coastal forest fire near Tanjung Baram on Monday (April 13) evening after inaccessible terrain cut off entry to the burning zone, forcing firefighters to abandon conventional suppression and resort to containment.
The blaze, reported at 6.59pm on Monday, broke out near an active construction corridor linked to the Baram Delta project, raising immediate concerns over its proximity to ongoing development and the risk of lateral spread.
A response unit from Lutong Fire Station was mobilised within minutes, departing at 7pm and covering roughly 30km to reach the site by 7.40pm.
But on arrival, crews encountered a critical operational barrier. There was no viable access route to the fire front.
An initial size-up confirmed that direct firefighting was not feasible.
Instead, the operation was rapidly reconfigured. Working alongside about 10 personnel from the project site, firefighters deployed three excavators to cut fire breaks along the edge of the construction area, creating a defensive buffer to contain the advancing flames.
The strategy was aimed at isolating the burn zone and preventing encroachment into higher-risk areas, particularly sections of the development footprint.
The fire, which tore through coastal scrubland, was brought under control without any reported casualties.
No additional stations were called in, and the situation was stabilised within the operational window.
The operation was led by Luting Fire Station Chief Henry Jugah, with a five-member firefighting team from Lutong handling ground coordination.
The unit remained on site until conditions were assessed as safe before departing at 8.52pm and returning to base at 9.31pm.
While the immediate threat has been contained, authorities have flagged the risk profile of such incidents, particularly in remote or partially developed zones where access limitations can significantly constrain response capability.
Follow-up monitoring has been assigned to subsequent teams to ensure there is no re-ignition, especially given current ground conditions.
