OIKN Intensifys Efforts To Anticipate Forest And Land Fires At IKN To Face El Nino

The Capital Archipelago Authority (OIKN) has intensified efforts to anticipate forest and land fires (karhutla) in the capital city of Nusantara, East Kalimantan, to face the possible threat of El Nino in June.

"This year we need to improve preparedness and prudence regarding the possibility of a nino threat. Therefore, we consider it important for us to meet today," said Deputy for Environment and Natural Resources OIKN Myrna A. Safitri as reported by ANTARA, Friday, May 26.

Myrna explained that OIKN had formulated strategic steps with various relevant stakeholders to anticipate El Nino's threat, even since February 2023.

Previously, since February efforts to discuss and formulate strategic tactical steps to control forest and land fires in IKN have been carried out together with several other stakeholders. However, the closer we get in June, July and August, we need to re-intensify this effort," he said.

Currently, there are three locuss that are of concern to OIKN. First, at the location of the Central Government Core Area (KIPP) where infrastructure development activities are being centered. Second, in Bukit Soeharto Forest Park, and third, in areas outside the two areas known as burning-prone areas or fire locuss were repeated in the previous period.

"We are very aware that those in East Kalimantan have shown these preparedness efforts, both from the service, other OPD, BPBD, TNI, POLRI, these efforts continue to be improved. In this workshop, we ask for the willingness of mothers and fathers to associate efforts to control forest and land fires in the IKN region to a major strategy of controlling large control in East Kalimantan," he said.

On that occasion, the Deputy for Environment and Natural Resources of OIKN also invited the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Regional Government of the East Kalimantan Province, the East Kalimantan Fire Concerned Society; TNI, Polri, PT. ITCI, and the Asian Development BanksupportOIKN team to strengthen synergy and coordination.

"We will try to focus on the KIPP and KIKN areas, especially to restore and conserve nature, including controlling forest and land fires. We hope that in the future there will be a forest management center where there will be a forest management center to prevent forest fires or protection for biodiversity and others," said OKN Water Development Utilization Director Pungky Widiaryanto.

Although in the last two years there have been not many cases of forest fires, OIKN together with related parties will continue to take precautions, especially to anticipate the long dry season.

There are four strategies that will be carried out to prevent forest and land fires. First, determine the locus of activities.

Second, coordination of joint annual planning. Third, coordination on the implementation of prevention and countermeasures, and finally, supervision, evaluation and mutual learning.

According to information from the BMKG Weather Prediction and Early Warning Coordinator Miming Saepudin, in general, the beginning of the dry season in East Kalimantan, especially around IKN, was in the late June or early July 2023 period.

While the rainfall is relatively drier, it can be predicted that this year's dryness will be drier, and the peak of its dryness will be in August-September.

"This of course must be a common vigilance. When we are about to enter the beginning of the dry season, then towards its peak period in August-September, we have coordinated quite intensely, this is what we need," said Miming.

Responding to this, the Director of Pungky will coordinate with the BMKG to prepare an early warning system for forest and land fires at IKN.