BEAUFORT: Sabah Fire and Rescue personnel are still battling the spread of a forest fire involving Kampung Purun Ulu, Kampung Nukahan, and Kampung Melawaring.The department received information about the fire in Kampung Purun Ulu at 2:16 pm yesterday and used a drone to survey the situation.
As of 7:30am, the operation chief reported estimating the forest fire's area to be approximately 602.29 hectares, and it is still spreading to nearby areas.
"The area extinguished so far is 595.6 acres or 240.8 hectares, about 40 per cent of the burned area.
"Fire suppression operations involve deploying a 200-foot hose with two open water sources (water relay) using a floating pump and fire beater.
"However, the firefighting team is encountering difficulties controlling the fire due to its rapid spread caused by strong winds, dry forest conditions, and peatland areas," according to a statement.
The department stated that operations are ongoing, with continuous monitoring of the affected area.
"Information will be updated periodically."