Anticipating The Forest And Land Fires Of Mount Ciremai, The Kuningan Regency Government Builds A Patrol Command Post

JAKARTA - The Kuningan Regency Government (Pemkab) in West Java has prepared prepared preparedness posts, patrols for vulnerable areas, and monitoring of early warning information in a sustainable manner to prevent forest and land fires (karhutla) in the Mount Ciremai area.

Kuningan Regent Dian Rachmat Yanuar said the effort involved cross-element coordination ranging from security forces, local governments, to active community participation.

He emphasized that forest fires, both due to negligence and intentional elements, would be dealt with firmly in accordance with applicable legal procedures.

"Posko must be formed, monitoring is carried out in real time, and the community is involved through night pickets. Education not to clear land by burning must also be intensified," he said in Kuningan, Thursday, quoted by Antara.

He asked the sub-district head to instruct the village head and village heads to take preventive steps in their respective areas, such as routine patrols and preparation of initial extinguishing equipment.

According to Dian, the coordination of pentahelix between the government, security forces, the business world, academics, and the community is the key to preparedness to deal with forest, land, and drought fires.

He said forest fires threaten ecosystem sustainability and cause ecological, economic, social, and cultural losses.

Throughout 2024, he said, there were 629 incidents of forest fires in Indonesia that scorched more than 283 thousand hectares of land.

"We hope that this condition does not occur in Ciremai, which is the source of life and identity of the Kuningan people," he said.

He hopes that this integrated step will be able to strengthen post-fire prevention, control, and recovery, so that the sustainability of Mount Ciremai is maintained for the sustainability of the ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Member of Commission IV DPR RI Rina Sa'adah said the potential for fires in Gunung Ciremai National Park (TNGC) reached 3,000 hectares, especially in the north and southwest areas which were heavily overgrown with shrubs and logs.

"The potential area is equivalent to 20 percent of the total TNGC area. The majority are in Kuningan Regency, the rest are in Majalengka and Cirebon," he said.