KENINGAU: The Keningau Fire and Rescue urged the public to avoid all forms of open burning, including clearing farm waste or burning rubbish, to prevent damage to the environment and property following a 20-acre forest fire here.
The blaze at Kampung Liau Darat was brought fully under control and extinguished in a night operation on Aug 20.
Firefighters led by Danny Boy Cornelio rushed to the scene located some 15 kilometres away following an 8.06pm distress call.
The team arrived at 8.27pm to find the fire raging across a wide forested area in the dark. Firefighting operations began at 8.28pm, with a 200-foot forest fire hose line laid out to contain the spread of the flames.
In sloped and thicketed areas inaccessible to mechanical equipment, firefighters had to rely on manual labour, using fire beaters to put out the remaining flames by hand.
Through the team’s swift and determined efforts, the fire was fully brought under control at 9.24pm.
After ensuring no embers or hidden ignition sources remained that could reignite the blaze, the operation was officially concluded at 9.50pm.
The public are therefore urged to be vigilant, as the dry weather conditions continue to leave soil, dead leaves and twigs in forested areas highly flammable.
