Drought Triggers Land Fire Of 39 Thousand Hectares In Balikpapan

BALIKPAPAN - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) said the dry season that triggered drought had caused 39,350 hectares of burned land in Balikpapan to enter mid-September 2023. "The area was a total of nine forest and land fires (forest fires)," said Acting Head (Plt) Head of Balikpapan BPBD Usman Ali, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 12. He detailed that from three events in North Balikpapan, 1.100 hectares of land were scorched. Then in Central Balikpapan there was an empty land burned 100 hectares. In Balikpapan West there are two points with an area of 1.150 hectares, South Balikpapan one point of 15,000 hectares, and in East Balikpapan two points covering an area of 22,000 hectares. According to him, the vacant land is generally empty land that is overgrown with alal and shrubs.Coordinator of Data and Information at Class I Meteorological Station Sepinggan Meteorology and Climatology Agency (BMKG) Balikpapan Diyan Novrida said the phenomenon of El Nino triggered a dryer and longer dry season. According to him, the impact of El Nino in Balikpapan is still moderate or medium with temperatures ranging between 25-32 degrees Celsius. That impact also tends to weaken further near the end of the year and rain starts to fall even though it is still light rain. However, the Head of BPBD Usman Ali and his subordinates have struggled nine times against land fires. "So in accordance with the direction of the Mayor, we urge the public to remain vigilant," he said. The vigilance, among others, was realized by not carrying out burning activities such as burning waste, including material collected from clean royong work in the environment or others. Not burned. It is also mentioned that anyone who deliberately collects and disposes of dust pollution will be subject to officers,' he said. Meanwhile, the Head of the Balikpapan City Police (Kapolres) Police Commissioner Anton Firmanto said would investigate the case of the burned land in Balikpapan. Moreover, he said, forest is specially regulated in Law Number 41/1999 concerning Forestry. Article

In addition, it can also refer to the Environmental Protection and Management Law (PPLH) Article 69 paragraph 2 things where clearing land by burning can be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years or a fine ranging from Rp. 3 billion to Rp. 10 billion. "We are always ready," he said.