2 Karhutla Points in Bengkalis Riau, Manggala Agni Dispersed 4 Fire Teams

JAKARTA - The Manggala Agni team in Riau Province has deployed four fire brigades to extinguish forest and land fires (karhutla) in four villages in Banten District, Bengkalis Regency.

Head of the Sumatera Region Forest Fire Control Center Ferdian Krisnanto currently has three teams handling the karhutla in Palkun Village, Sekodi, and West Kelemantan. Another team is planned to come to Kembung Luar Village.

"Today we also added another team from the Manggala Agni Siak Regional Operation to Kembung Luar Village, Bengkalis," he said in a statement received in Pekanbaru, Tuesday.

He detailed that for Palkun Village, one BKO Assistance Team from the Pekanbaru Daops had been conducting a follow-up blackout for one day. The blackout was carried out with the help of one heavy equipment to make a water reservoir.

However, the condition of the water pond that was made was not optimal because it was still waiting for the water to be filled so that the blackout was not optimal. His party tried to move the portable pump scheme forward to the fire chief with water sources from the pond that had been made.

Then in Sekodi Village, there was also a continuation of the blackout by one Daops Siak team. The blackout was a collaboration between the ground team assisted by a water bombing helicopter from the Riau Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD).

At West Kelemantan Village, one Daops Siak team was also handled, which continued to move to cut off the head of the fire. The team was hampered by strong winds so that the movement of the fire was able to break through the barrier.

"The team is still trying to widen the barrier with minimal water availability," he added.

Meanwhile, the karhutla in other Bengkalis areas, namely Titi Akar Village, North Rupat District, he said, the fire could be completed for eight days. Two Daops Dumai squads and one BKO from Daops Sorolangun Jambi and Musi Banyuasin, South Sumatra (Sumsel), stated that the karhutla was clean.

"The BKO team from Musi banyuasin South Sumatra and Sarolangu Jambi yesterday afternoon processed demobilization," he said.