Danrem 101/Antasari: Handling Forest And Land Fires In South Kalimantan Still Needs Artificial Rain

Archives. The puff of smoke soared high due to forest and land fires eating tens of hectares of land in the Syamsudin Noor Airport area, Banjarbaru City, South Kalimantan, Tuesday, August 22, 2023). (ANTARA-Tumpal Andani A)

SOUTH KALIMANTAN - Commander of Korem 101/Antasari Brigadier General Ari Aryanto said the South Kalimantan region still needs weather modification technology to bring artificial rain to deal with forest and land fires (karhutla), especially the Banjarbaru City area. " “ Artificial rain is the right solution to deal with forest and land fires in South Kalimantan, the day after tomorrow the right time to bring back artificial rain because at that time there was a potential for thick cloud moisture," said Ari Aryanto when confirmed in Banjarmasin, Wednesday, October 4, which was confiscated by Antara. Ari, who is also the Deputy Chair of the South Kalimantan Karhutla Task Force, said that regarding the implementation of weather modifications to bring in rain made on Friday the day after tomorrow, he had coordinated with the local BMKG and conveyed this to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to approve the recommendation. " “ Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry has recommended that South Kalimantan establish an emergency response status for forest and land fires, but we need to discuss this together," he said. He said that after the Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry gave a response, he coordinated with the South Kalimantan Police Chief, the South Kalimantan Regional Secretary, who was then immediately reported to the Governor of South Kalimantan to respond to the recommendations from the Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry. Ari Aryanto said that although the South Kalimantan Regional Secretary said that two districts and cities had submitted enough to raise the emergency response status of forest and land fires, it still needed consideration and joint discussion regarding the positive and negative sides that might occur.

He admitted that although the task force had made maximum efforts to overcome forest and land fires, it was still not optimal because there were still various challenges and limited resources. Furthermore, in the past few days he has directly monitored the handling of forest and land fires in the field, all officers do wetting burned land every day in the hope of reducing smog, especially in the provincial capital area. Ari Aryanto also conveyed that regarding human resources from forest and land fires volunteers, he and his staff provided vehicle fuel facilities and minimal consumption. Based on the results of the meeting, the funds for empowering volunteers have not been specifically budgeted. According to him, the local government's efforts to temporarily use personal funds voluntarily to help volunteers who are tackling forest and land fires every day in the field. He also admits that his role has not been maximized, especially at this time the time must be divided into busy activities ahead of welcoming the 78th Anniversary of the TNI which will be commemorated on Thursday tomorrow. "I will assure all existing resources to work optimally to overcome this forest and land fires," said Ari Aryanto. Meanwhile, BMKG Prakirawan Staff Syamsudin Noor Banjarmasin Fitma Suryaani responded regarding the plan for the forest and land fires task force to make artificial rain on Friday. According to him, currently there is a thickening of the humidity of the clouds, but it is not comprehensive in the South Kalimantan region, namely some around the east and north, such as Tanah Bumbu, Kotabaru, Balangan, and Tabalong Regencies. "For the South Kalimantan capital, namely Banjarbaru, on the eighth and nineth, there is a possibility of thickening clouds that have the potential to rain," he said.