BMKG Detects 115 Hot Spots in East Kalimantan, Residents Urged to Be Alert for Karhutla

Illustration of forest fires (ANTARA)

KALTIM - BMKG reported the potential for forest and land fires (karhutla) in a number of areas in East Kalimantan Province. With 151 hot spots detected, the public is urged not to burn in the midst of hot weather.

"For this reason, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Balikpapan Station reminds all parties of the potential for this karhutla," said the Head of the Data and Information Team of the BMKG Class I Station Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Balikpapan Carolina Meylita Sibarani in Balikpapan, quoted by ANTARA on Sunday, April 26.

"The weather in the Kaltim sky in recent weeks has indeed been hot," he said, so this condition then triggered the emergence of many hot spots, such as on Saturday (25/4) 151 hot spots were detected spread across six regencies/cities, with details of Balikpapan City (1), Paser Regency (13), West Kutai (10), East Kutai (82), Kutai Kartanegara (37), and Berau Regency (8).

This warning, he continued, was conveyed, among others, to residents not to burn garbage carelessly because it could cause the fire to spread to other locations, as well as not to throw cigarette butts that are still burning so that they do not hit dry leaves in the forest or in plantations.

As for government elements, related to the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), they are urged to check the hot spots that have been detected by the BMKG.

"The team from BPBD together with related elements when they come to the location, usually will ensure whether this hot spot is prone to causing forest fires or not. If it is prone or may be happening, then they will immediately handle it," said Carolina.

Other elements of the local government, such as the Agriculture Service, the Plantation Service, and the Fire Service, are expected to provide appeals to farmers and planters to take preventive measures against forest fires.

Moreover, all the hot spots detected have medium and high confidence levels, such as in Berau Regency, which detected eight points with confidence levels of 8 and 9 or high, these hot spots are spread across Kelay, Derawan Island, Sambaliung, Segah, Tabalar, and Talisayan.

On Friday (23/4) his party also detected 83 hotspots spread across five regencies/cities, namely Bontang City (1), Paser Regency (9), West Kutai (4), East Kutai (48), Kutai Kartanegara (20), and Berau (3).