Tanah Bumbu BPBD stamps out 20 hectares peatland fires

Batulicin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Tanah Bumbu Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has managed to stamp out fires on 20 hectares peatland in Kusan Tengah sub-district.

"The area of peatland here is estimated to be more than 1,000 hectares, alhamdulillah (Thank God) the fire that burned 20 hectares of peatland was successfully extinguished in about three hours," said Head of Tanah Bumbu BPBD Sulhadi in Batulicin, Thursday.

He said many were involved in the extinguishing efforts, including TNI, Polri, the local community, and volunteers fostered by the BPBD.

To follow up the fire case, the police are investigating wether it was intentionally or if the fire occurred naturally.

"If later it is found there was an element of intent, then the perpetrators will be prosecuted according to the applicable law," said Sulhadi.

So far, forest and land fires (karhutla) cases in Tanah Bumbu are lower than other districts in South Kalimantan. Karhutla here has only reached 20 hectares, namely in te peatland of Kusan Tengah Sub-district.

Since Januari 2023, 40 heat sources have been detected. Only four hotspots were found, the rest were caused by hot tin roofs of houses, residents burning garbage and coal.

The four hotspots, he explained, were dominated by Kusan Tengah with an area of 20 hectares, while those in other sub-districts were only tens to hundreds of meters wide.

To prevent karhutla in Tanah Bumbu from spreading, BPBD has alerted 2,800 joint personnel consisting of TNI, Polri, BPBD, and volunteers scattered throughout the region.

"Each sub-district has 200 people equipped with fire extinguishing equipment, such as kepyok, carrying spray, rakes, shovels, and so o," Sulhadi expounded.

There are also provided with material to disseminate information to the community so that they could take part in preventing forest and land fires (karhutla) in their respective areas.

Based on data from the South Kalimantan Center for Disaster Management Control Operation (Pusdalops PB) 3,214 had been detectd with karhutla area of about 995 hectares spread acroos 13 districts and cities. In Banjarbaru City, for example, karhutla has reached 445 hectares with 102 hotspots.

Tanah Bumbu and Kotabaru Districts have different seasonal cycles from other areas in South Kalimantan.

For example, in Desember 2022 Tapin Regency experienced karhutla, but Tanah Bumbu experienced heavy rain. Conversely, during the dry season in Tanah Bumbu, other district experience rain.

"Based on information from go.id.lapan.firehot application and the "sipongi" forest and land fire monitoring system application to date only 40 hotspots and four cases of karhutla have been found," he explained.