North Kalimantan Police Ready To Take Firm Action Against Forest Burning Perpetrators Deliberately

North Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya is ready to take firm action against those who deliberately set fire to the forest. (Doc. Polda Kaltara)

North Kalimantan Police stated that they were ready to take firm action against perpetrators who deliberately set fire to forest and land fires in their jurisdiction.

North Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General Pol. Daniel Adityajaya in Tanjung Selor, Sunday, appealed to the public to be aware of forest and land fires and residential areas at once

"You have to be vigilant and take care of each other, at least yourself and your family and the environment, inform the nearest officer as soon as possible if you know of a fire," he said as quoted by Antara.

The appeal was conveyed by the Kapolda following several cases of forest and land fires in Bulungan, such as the fire of 150 houses in Selumit Village, Tarakan City, early Sunday. Previously, on June 29, 2023, in Karang Anyar Pantai Village, which resulted in 127 families losing their homes.

"This tragedy is the largest fire in the period January to early August 2023, which previously also occurred in 1991," said Daniel.

The Kapolda said that his staff together with the Tarakan Police had investigated the fire accident that occurred in Tarakan.

Inspector General of Police. Daniel promised to take firm action against the perpetrators who deliberately burned land and forests. Two incidents of forest and land fires in Panca Agung Village on Friday (4/8) and Sajau Village on Saturday (5/8) in Bulungan are being investigated by the police.

"Polda is conducting an investigation with the Bulungan Police, and we will take firm action if there are parties who deliberately burn the land or forest," said the Kapolda.

He asked the public to be careful and ensure that all land clearing activities are well controlled and well supervised in order to prevent widespread forest and land fires.

"For forest and land fires in Bulungan, we have examined some of them, such as the incident in Tanjung Palas District," said the Kapolda.

Several days earlier, Kodim 0903/Tanjung Selor recorded forest and land fires in Bulungan Regency, among others, a 50 meter x 100 meter land fire on July 29 at Kilometer 12 Gunung Sari Village, Tanjung Selor District. On Monday 31 July 2023 on Jalan Jelarai Raya, Tanjung Selor with an area of 1.5 hectares burned; Bumi Rahayu-Tanjung Selor Village 2 hectares; Tanjung Agung Village, Tanjung Palas Timur District covering an area of 12 hectares; and the Bulungan-Berau axis road covering an area of 10 hectares. On August 3, 2023, a fire broke out on a community-owned land covering an area of 20 hectares in Jelarai Selor Village, Tanjung Selor. On August 1, 2023, a fire also hit the land owned by two palm oil companies and land owned by the community in Wonomulyo Village, East Tanjung Palas District. The total burned area was approximately 30 hectares.