BNPB Calls Forest And Land Fires In Lereng Gunung Can Trigger Flash Floods

ILLUSTRATION/Condition of the Mount Arjuno area which is included in the Malang Regency, East Java (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) revealed that the phenomenon of forest and land fires that occur on mountain slopes can trigger flash floods that hit residential areas when the rainy season arrives.

Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center Abdul Muhari said the burning and dead trees could trigger landslides around the upstream river and create natural dams.

"Natural dams that occur due to tree collapse or landslides have a maximum limit. When rainwater overflows, natural dams usually break down," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 5.

Abdul said that the flash flood case carrying large logs had hit Batu City, East Java, in 2021.

At that time, many large trees fell due to forest fires that hit the slopes of Mount Arjuno in 2018.

Trees that died as a result of the fire made the slopes easily landslide because there was no vegetation that held them back, thus creating a natural dam upstream of the river that has a route to Batu City.

Even though the upstream river was dry, there was no water, but during the rainy season there was an overflow of rainwater that could not be stopped by the natural dam and then collapsed and hit the settlement.

"The Batu City flash flood in 2021 is because there is no water holder. When the bush fire ran out and the trees caught fire," said Abdul.

BNPB advised the local government whose area is on the slopes of the mountain to check the upstream condition of the river. If there are piles of landslides and logs, then the area must be cleaned.

According to him, the fires that occurred on the slopes of the mountain did not only have fatal consequences for the ecosystem, but also had long-term effects of potential disasters that threatened the population below the slopes in the form of flash floods during the rainy season.

Kemarau lebih, musim hujan datang. Jangan sampai nanti kita terlepas dan terkejut ada dam alam upstream sungai yang menyebabkan banjir bandang," ujarAbdul.