Five Villages in Bengkalis Riau Affected by Forest Fires

Illustration: Antara

JAKARTA - The Manggala Agni team in Riau Province is still struggling to put out forest and land fires (karhutla) whose fire spread is a single expanse, covering five villages in Bantan District, Bengkalis Regency.

Head of the Sumatra Region Forest Fire Control Center Ferdian Krisnanto said a team from the Manggala Agni Siak Operation Area was currently handling the fire. Because the fire spread, plus two Manggala Agni teams from Siak and operational control assistance from the Pekanbaru Daops one team.

"If the area is certainly not confirmed, our team with a helicopter saw a stretch covering five villages. It is very wide and causes a lot of smoke," he said in a statement received in Pekanbaru, Sunday.

"One expanse, he continued, includes Teluk Laran, Sekodi, Palkun, Kelemantan, and Kembung Luar Villages. For the Pelkun and Kelemantan areas, his party is currently still searching to ensure the ideal water source and access to the fire chief.

He said that the current obstacle, in addition to the lack of water sources, is also the vastness and the very large fuel. Therefore, his party is currently still trying to ask for the help of heavy equipment to make water ponds.

"We also cleaned the canals and made a fire barrier to slow down the fire," he said.

Meanwhile, in other areas of Bengkalis that also experienced karhutla, namely Titi Akar Village, North Rupat District, it has entered the sixth day. The extinguishing activity was carried out by two teams of Daops Sumatera V/Dumai and one team each from Sorolangun Jambi and the South Sumatra Banyuasin Mission.

According to him, the efforts to secure the settlement have been successful. Today's team is carrying out activities to hit the left fire head to inhibit the speed and reduce smoke on the tail and wings of the fire.

"Reducing smoke requires patience and diligence considering that the fire has entered the peat pores. The obstacle is the lack of water conditions so that movement is limited," he said.