DLHK: Until October Karhutla In South Sulawesi Reaches 824 Hectares

The South Sulawesi Environment and Forestry Service (DLHK) recorded cases of forest and land fires (karhutla) in the area from January to October 2023 reaching an area of 824 hectares.

Head of South Sulawesi DLHK Andi Hasbi Nur said there were several areas that experienced quite extensive fires, such as Soppeng Regency (278 hectares), Barru Regency (139 hectares) and East Luwu 50.8 hectares.

He said the tendency for fires to occur, such as in Lutim, usually the rainfall is quite large, so people who own land use it to clean their land ahead of the rainy season for agriculture.

"To clean the land, people's habits first, it cleans not using machetes, but it is burned so that it is clean quickly," he said at a coordination meeting for handling forest and land fires reported by ANTARA, Thursday, October 12.

According to him, the forest and land fires that burned in South Sulawesi were divided into areas outside the forest and in forest areas.

The potential for an increase in land area that experienced fires in South Sulawesi is still very high. Moreover, seeing the current condition of the long dry season, it is easier for fires to occur.

"Currently there are still fires in several areas, including in Malino (Gowa Regency), Bantaeng Regency and Jeneponto," he said.

"We are currently also trying to map out potential fire points in every district and city, such as in Loka, Bantaeng Regency, which occurs almost every year," he said.