The aircraft was forced to go around from short final after three fire tenders were unable to vacate the runway as instructed. Four fire tenders were previously cleared to enter the movement area in order to conduct a response time test to the threshold of runway 33. The controller permitted the exercise after considering the aircraft traffic in the area. His expectation was that the tenders would would be able to clear the runway (to grassed areas outside the flight strip) immediately when requested. When the controller instructed the tenders to vacate the runway he was advised that they were restricted to operations on the sealed areas only. The surrounding ground was too soft.
The aircraft landed safely a short time later, after the fire vehicles had moved to the taxiways.
Notification procedures were then put in place at Cairns, so that air traffic control staff would be made aware of any restrictions to the movement of fire vehicles due to surface conditions.