Central Kalimantan Provincial Government Sets Karhutla Disaster Emergency Alert Status For 167 Days

Central Kalimantan Secretary Nuryakin (central) in the coordination meeting to determine plans for emergency handling of forest and land fires, Palangka Raya, Monday (5/6/2023). (ANTARA)

PALANGKA RAYA - Central Kalimantan Provincial Government has set a Forest and Land Fire Emergency Alert Status (Karhutla) for 167 days, from May 29 to November 10, 2023. "This status determination is based on the determination of the district/city emergency alert status, so far there have been seven regencies and one city that has determined," said Central Kalimantan Regional Secretary Nuryakin in Palangka Raya, quoted from Antara, Monday, May 5. A total of seven regencies and one city, including Sukamara, Palangka Raya, South Barito, Pulang Pisau, East Kotawaringin, Kapuas, West Kotawaringin, and Katingan. The follow-up to the determination of the emergency alert status of forest and land fires and command posts for handling the emergency of forest and land fires, he said, through the implementation of the coordination meeting today was carried out by a number of establishments, including related to the plan to handle the emergency of the Central Kalimantan forest and land fires as a reference in the operation to handle the forest and land fires emergency. This emergency handling operation plan is to refer to Article 26 of the Regulation of the Governor of Central Kalimantan Number 24 of 2017 concerning the Implementation of Emergency Management of Forest and Land Fires in the Province of Central Kalimantan. "The challenge we face in handling forest and land fires in 2023 is heavier than the last three years, because it is possible that the dryness is longer and drier, there is even the potential for El Nino," he said. The Acting Head of the Central Kalimantan Disaster Management and Fire Management Agency (BPBPK) Ahmad Toyib hopes that, with the determination of the Karhutla Emergency Alert Status at the provincial and district/city levels, all levels of pentahelix synergy can be optimized. "This is to realize a joint commitment so that Central Kalimantan is free of smoke in 2023," he said. As a follow-up to this status determination, he said, the governor had also proposed to the central government through the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to obtain assistance for weather modification technology operations (TMC). In addition, support is in the form of a patrol helicopter and a two-unit water bomber helicopter stationed at Tjilik Riwut Airport, Palangka Raya. The implementation of air operations is technically coordinated by the air task force coordinated by Danlanud Iskandar Pangkalan Bun.