BPDB Calls Peat Land Fire The Cause Of Smoke Fog In Mukomuko

Sightings of smoke from the peatland that caught fire behind the Mukomuko District Hospital, Friday (2/8/2024) ANTARA/Ferri.

JAKARTA - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) said that the smog in Mukomuko City and Air Manjuto, Bengkulu Province came from the fire of part of the peatland behind the local hospital. "The smoke seized from some of the peatlands behind the burning hospital," said the Head of BPBD Mukomuko Regency, Ruri Irwandi, when contacted from Mukomuko, Friday, August 2, was confiscated by Antara. Part of the peatland area of about 10 hectares behind Mukomuko Hospital was burned. However, currently some of the peatlands that have been burned have been extinguished after the rain has fallen since the last two days.

He said some of the peatlands that burned had been extinguished, but BPBD officers remained on standby because there was still peatland in the middle that caught fire. "The rain briefly extinguished some of the burned land, but some of it was still burned," he said.

Ia mengatakan, personel BPBD hari ini mengecek lagi untuk memastikan sebagian kecil di tengah lahan gambut yang terbakar tidak meluas."Kondisi kebakaran lahan gambut yang sekarang ini tidak sama seperti awal, tetapi petugas tetap siaga untuk mengantisipasi jangan sampai kebakaran meluas di lahan lain," katanya.

He appealed to residents to be aware of peatland fires during the current dry season. "Residents should not clear land by burning and also not burn branches and throw cigarette butts around the land or where leaves and grass are flammable," he said. The fire of peatlands in this area, he said, resulted in air pollution in the form of thick smoke that had an impact on residents.

"The air pollution has a direct impact on residents," he said.