Hotspots In West Sumatra Increase, Provincial Government Asks Forest Fire Alert Officers

Illustration of forest and land fires or forest and land fires. (Between)

W Sumatra - The West Sumatra Provincial Government (West Sumatra Provincial Government) has asked all officers to be alert to the threat of forest fires. Hotspots in West Sumatra increased in January-May 2022.

This was conveyed by the Deputy Governor of West Sumatra, Audy Joinaldy while leading the "Warning Call for Forest and Land Fire Control at the West Sumatra Province level in 2022". The rally took place at the Sungai Sariak Football Field, Muaro Takuang, Kamang Baru, Sijunjung Regency, Wednesday, July 13. "The hot spots for the January-May 2022 period increased dramatically by 167 percent from the same period last year. this," he said.

According to him, the task of maintaining the potential for forest fires is not only borne by one party. There must be collaboration from various parties, including the Provincial Dalkarhutla Task Force officers, the Dalkarhutla Brigade at KPH, the TNI, POLRI, BPBD, firefighters, Fire Care Community (MPA), to the company's quick reaction team. You can be careless. Make sure the equipment is ready at all times," he said, according to Antara. Audy revealed that based on the 2022 Forest and Land Fire Management Coordination Meeting in West Sumatra in June 2022, there were 484 hotspots in West Sumatra, an increase of 167 percent compared to 2021. From the data From January to May 2022, forest and land fires in the West Sumatra region reached 9,045 hectares. This makes West Sumatra in the second position with the highest area of forest and land fires in Indonesia and at the same time the highest on the island of Sumatra.

Audy said forest fires caused economic losses for the community and the environment. Therefore, it must be anticipated early. The West Sumatra Provincial Government, according to him, is trying to prevent forest fires by conducting socialization of land preparation without burning and early warning fires. with minimal smoke and rotating fires," he said. In addition, it is also necessary to conduct campaigns on the impact of smoke on health, community empowerment for the application of traditional knowledge in fire control, and dissemination of early warnings for forest and land fires. Along with that, fostering and increasing obedience to entrepreneurs who is engaged in plantations, forestry permit holders such as Industrial Plantation Forests need to be maximized. In addition to all these efforts, monitoring and reporting of tiered fires are also needed, one of which is the existence of company guarantees for those who n land without burning. There is also a need for firmness in law enforcement through the empowerment of environmental and forestry PPNS (Civil Servant Investigators), the application of corporate criminal acts in cases of forest and land burning and the application of administrative sanctions.