BPBD: Fire preparedness and prevention from now

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Head of the South Kalimantan Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Wahyuddin stated the agency together with military (TNI), police (Polri), and elements of society begin preparedness and prevention from now on against forest and land fire.


He pointed out that the Banjarbaru Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has predicted dry season in 2019 will be hotter than the previous year.

At the coordination meeting on the preparedness and prevention of forest and land fires (karhutla) in Banjarbaru on Monday, he said, it was delivered that the potential for forest fires in 2019 will be bigger.

The steps taken, he added, are to streamline counseling and outreach to the community to increase their understanding of smoke disruption caused by the fire disaster.

In addition, it maps out the vulnerability of forest and land fires, as experienced in previous years.

There are five karhutla prone points, namely, Banjarbaru, Banjar Regency, Tanah Laut, Barito Kuala, and Tapin.

Governor South Kalimantan Sahbirin Noor has issued a circular to regents and mayors regarding anticipation and preparedness in the prevention and control of forest and land fires, said Provincial Secretary Abdul Haris.

Previously, the provincial government held a commemoration ceremony for the 2019 Disaster Preparedness Day and the Forest and Land Fire Disaster Preparedness ceremony. "Following up on the ceremony, today we held an integrated smoke disaster preparedness coordination meeting," he said on Monday.

Coordination meetings are carried out from the beginning, added the Secretary, and with early efforts to overcome the expected haze disaster that occurred a few years ago it is hoped not to be repeated.

The Secretary explained, the Governor asked the local government and all participants of the coordination meeting to examine their respective roles which must be synergized in controlling forest and land fires in South Kalimantan.

Present at the coordination meeting, Commander of 101 Antasari, representatives of South Kalimantan Regional Police, TNI-Polri ranks, districts and cities governments, and business people.