Tapin South Kalimantan Enters Rainy Season, BPBD Says Forest And Land Fires Intensity Is Decreasing

South Kalimantan BPBD officers try to extinguish the forest and land fires in the ring one area of Syamsudin Noor International Airport in Landasan Ulin District, Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, Wednesday 21 June 2023. (ANTARA-Bayu Pratama S).

SOUTH KALIMANTAN - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) said that the rainy season has begun to enter the Tapin Regency area, South Kalimantan (Kalsel).

Head of the Tapin Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Raniansyah, said that the intensity of forest and land fires (karhutla) in Tapin is starting to decline due to the onset of the rainy season.

"The forest and land fires have decreased because the rainy season has started," said Raniansyah in Rantau, Tapin, South Kalimantan, Sunday, October 22, as reported by Antara.

Raniansyah revealed that the peak phase of forest and land fires will decrease in October 2023, often with increasing rain intensity in Tapin Regency.

"In the last few days it has continued to rain in Tapin. Indeed, in the South Kalimantan area the rain is almost even," said Raniansyah.

However, said Raniansyah, BPBD officers still found hotspots that caused forest and land fires in several areas in Tapin Regency.

"Yes, this is due to human activity, especially entering the planting season," he said.

Based on forecasts from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), said Raniansyah, hot and rainy weather or the transition of seasons will occur in October 2023.

BPBD Tapin recorded this drastic reduction based on forest and land fire data in September reaching 63 points, the area of land burned was 213 hectares. Meanwhile, in October there were 20 points with an affected land area of 71 hectares.

Throughout this dry season, BPBD Tapin handled 127 points on 361 hectares in the period June-October 2023.