Task Force Team Extinguishes Forest And Land Fires In 3 Villages In OKU South Sumatra

BATURAJA - The Karhutla Task Force Team for the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (OKU), South Sumatra after struggling to extinguish forest and land fires (karhutla) that occurred in three villages in the area.

"The three villages include Tanjung Baru, Banuayu and Tanjung Kemala villages, East Baturaja District," said Pusdalops Manager of BPBD OKU Gunalfi in Baturaja, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 26.

He explained that the fire allegedly came from cigarette butts, which burned the community's plantation on Tuesday (26/9) at 12.30 WIB, which almost caused a smog disaster.

Luckily, the fire was quickly extinguished so that it did not cause any casualties. However, in this disaster 17 hectares (Ha) of plantation land were burned down.

In extinguishing the OKU KarhutlaBBBD Task Force Team, they struggled to extinguish the fire using one water tanker car and other equipment.

Hanya, kata dia, pihaknya sempat terkendala jarak sumber air sungai yang jauh dari lokasi kebakaran sehingga proses pantapan api berlangsung cukup lama.

"After struggling for several hours, the fire was finally extinguished at 15.30 WIB," he said.

Currently, his party is still monitoring and cooling the affected areas in anticipation of the reappearance of hotspots that can trigger forest and land fires.

He again reminded the public to be wiser and careful by not throwing cigarette butts in any place, especially on dry land that is flammable.

"Because almost the average cause of forest and land fires was caused by the negligence of the people who threw cigarette butts carelessly," said Gunalfi.