BMKG Reports Number Of Hotspots In East Kalimantan Decreases Again

Officers are marketing forest and land fires in Penajam District, North Penajam Paser Regency (PPU) East Kalimantan. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

BALIKPAPAN - The Balikpapan Station Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) detected a decrease in the number of hotspots in East Kalimantan Province (Kaltim), from 95 points on Thursday, February 29 to 64 points on Friday, March 1, down again to 26 on Saturday, 2 March.

"A total of 26 hotspots on Saturday (2/3) yesterday were monitored from 01.00 to 24.00 WITA," said Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan, Coordinator for Data and Information at Class I Station, Sepinggan, quoted from ANTARA, Sunday, March 3.

The decline in the number of hotspots occurred due to several things, he said, including increasing public awareness, not arbitrarily burning along with the massive parties involved in socializing the prevention and handling of forest and land fires (karhutla).

The distribution of 26 hotspots, he continued, had been submitted to related parties such as Manggala Agni, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and the Fire Rescue and Extinguishing Service, both at the provincial and district/city levels, so that further action could be taken.

Although the number of hotspots has decreased, he still urges all parties to always be vigilant and prevent forest and land fires, such as not burning in the forest or land, so that there is no addition or expansion of hotspots.

Vigilance needs to be done because a number of areas are still experiencing hot weather in a few consecutive days. Such weather, he said, could cause branches and dried leaves that are prone to forest and land fires when exposed to fire or coal.

Diyan said as many as 64 points detected Friday (1/3) were spread across one city and three districts namely Bontang (3) City, West Kutai Regency (2), East Kutai (9), and Kutai Kartanegara Regency (50).

Meanwhile, 26 points detected yesterday (2/3) were spread across one city and four districts, namely Samarinda City (1), Paser Regency (1) West Kutai (2), East Kutai (10), and Kutai Kartanegara Regency (12).

As for the details in Samarinda in North Samarinda District, Paser is located in Batu Engau District, while in West Kutai it is in Penyinggahan District, all of them have a middle level of trust.

Meanwhile, in East Kutai Regency, it was spread over six sub-districts, namely North Sangatta (1), Bengalon (5), Kaliorang (1), Rantau Pulung (1), and Teluk Pandan (1) with a middle level of trust.

"Kutai Kartanegara Regency, which was observed at 12 points, is spread across five sub-districts, namely Kembang Janggut (2), Anggana (4), Loa Janan (1), Marangkayu (4), and Muara Jawa District (1) with an intermediate confidence level of 11 points and one point low," he said.