Forest And Land Fires Dozens Of Hectares, Acting Regent Of Central Aceh Reminds Residents Not To Open Land Burned

Acting Regent of Central Aceh T Mirzuan monitors the location of forest and land fires in the Bur Telege tourist area, Takengon, Central Aceh. (ANTARA/HO-Setdakab Central Aceh)

The Acting Regent of Central Aceh T Mirzuan asked residents of the area to be aware of forest and land fires (karhutla), by not clearing land by burning in the middle of the dry season.

"If gardening does not open land by burning, because this can cause forest fires," said T Mirzuan, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, June 19.

He explained that the weather was hot and strong winds continued to hit Central Aceh, so that at any time it could trigger forest and land fires.

Therefore, he asked the public to remain vigilant and avoid things that could potentially lead to forest and land fires.

"We urge us to continue to be vigilant against forest fires, such as avoiding actions that can trigger forest and land fires, such as clearing land by burning," he said.

Mirzan said, in the past week, dozens of hectares of forest and land areas in the Gayo Plateau area had caught fire. The incident occurred at a number of points in the hilly area on the outskirts of Lake Lut Tawar.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) appealed to the people of Aceh to be aware of the potential for forest and land fires as a result of two climate change phenomena, namely El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) which resulted in drought in Indonesia.

"So forest and land fires in this period have more potential to occur, due to drought. Then also because of the increasing surface temperature, the land is flammable," said Head of BMKG Class I Meteorological Station Sultan Iskandar Muda (SIM) Nasrol Adil.

Especially, continued Nasrol, areas in the central part of Aceh such as Central Aceh Regency, Bener Meriah, Gayo Lues, Southeast Aceh, and other mountainous areas.

The hill or mountain foot area is very vulnerable to forest and land fires. For today and yesterday, our satellite has not been monitored for hot spots, but we still ask people not to clear land by burning," he said.