Dumai City Covered With Smoke In The Impact Of Land Fires

Smoke fog blanketing Dumai City, Riau (ANTARA/Abdul Razak)

The land fire that occurred in the Riau Province caused a smog in Dumai City to emerge. The smoke is reported to have a pungent odor and could endanger health if inhaled for a long time.

The head of the Dumai City Regional Disaster Management Agency, Irawan Sukma, on Sunday explained that the current condition of the smoke fog that enveloped the air came from land fires at several points. In addition, it was also sent from the border with Bengkalis Regency.

"Most of them have been extinguished and are still in the cooling process. We also estimate that the smoke fog will be sent from the Dumai Bengkalis border land fire, precisely in Bandar Laksamana Village," said Irawan Sukma as quoted by Antara, Sunday, March 24.

Based on daily reports of disasters, forest and land fires occurred in a number of locations. Namely shrubs and oil palm plantations on Bambu Kuning Street, Long Desert Village, Bukit Kapur District, covering an area of 15 ha.

Then, peatlands and shrubs on Jalan Tanjung Sari, Tanjung Palas Village, Dumai Timur District, 7 ha. Furthermore, the bush caught fire on Dumai Motor Street, Tanjung Palas Dumai Timur Village, 20 ha.

Another hotspot on Jalan Batu Bintang, Bukit Bahtrem Village, Dumai Timur District, also scorched 5 hectares. The last location is on Jalan Teuku Umar, Teluk Makmur Village, Medang Kampai District, 1 ha

Based on the monitoring of the activities of road users, it is still normal without wearing masks. Both pedestrians and by riding motorbikes.

"Incidentally, we are having a gathering outside after tarawih, and indeed there has been no preparation for masks, although the smoke condition is very bad," said a motorcyclist.

Another resident said there was no readiness to anticipate the smoke fog that only looked thick tonight. Activities outside the house are still being carried out.