Throughout March Riau Islands Hit By Terik Heat, BPBD Asks Residents To Beware Of Carhutla Triggers

Illustration of residents burning garbage. (Pexels-Lisa Fotios)

KEPRI - Provincial Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) said hot weather conditions accompanied by strong winds will continue to occur in the Riau Islands (Kepri) throughout March.

Head of the Riau Islands BPBD Muhammad Hasbi reminded that the trigger for forest and land fires aka forest and land fires in Riau Islands should be avoided at this time considering the weather being faced.

"Don't burn the garbage behind the house, because it can cause a fire. Smoke from the burned waste also causes air pollution that disturbs the neighbors. Just throw garbage in the trash provided by the government," he said in Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, Tuesday, March 14, confiscated by Antara.

Almost every year, especially when the hot air temperature accompanied by strong winds, several areas in Bintan, Batam, and Tanjungpinang regencies occur in land fires. Land and forest fires can scorched buildings, damage lighting facilities, and threaten the safety of residents.

"We hope that no more residents will throw cigarette butts carelessly. Some incidents of forest and land fires are caused by cigarette butts being dumped over the bushes so that they are flammable," he said.

Meteorology, Climatology, Geophysics Agency Tanjungpinang forecaster Robbi A Anugrah said the hot air temperature in Riau Islands was influenced by the apparent movement of the sun towards the equator, then it would head north in April-June 2023.

"This heat condition will occur throughout March 2023," he said.

Currently, he said, the air temperature on Bintan Island (Tanjungpinang and Bintan Regency) reaches 31 degrees Celsius, while wind speeds are 30 km per hour.

"Currently it is still the north wind season, but sea waves are sloping in the waters of Bintan, Batam, Tanjungpinang, Lingga and Karimun," said Robbi A Anugrah.