BATAM - The Barelang City Resort Police (Polresta), Riau Islands Police, is investigating the exact cause of the fire in the Lestari Park protected forest, Batu Aji District, Batam City.
The head of the Batu Aji Police, Polresta Barelang AKP Bayu Rizki Subagyo, said his party had collected information from a number of witnesses after the fire occurred to trace the cause of the fire.
"Yes, we are investigating this fire incident to find out the exact cause of the fire because this is a protected forest area that is guarded and protected," said Bayu, quoted by Antara.
The fire incident in the protected forest area of the Lestari Park in the Mata Kucing area, Batu Aji occurred on Sunday (8/2) at 16.30 WIB.
The fire burned land and dry branches due to the dry season, and could only be controlled on Monday (9/2) early morning at 05.00 WIB.
At least five fire locations appeared in the protected forest area. Dozens of fire fighting vehicles were deployed to the location, including Karhutla tactical vehicles (rantis), Armoured water cannon (AWC) and SARA owned by Ditsamapta Polda Kepri to help extinguishing efforts.
Although the fire was successfully extinguished, smoke still appeared in the burned area until Tuesday (10/2), it was suspected that there was a fire under the ground surface that was burned. Until Wednesday (11/2), the fire at the location had completely gone out.
Bayu explained that the three witnesses who were asked for information were people who were around the location of the Fish Eye Lestari Park.
"We have examined three witnesses, one resident whose house is right at the entrance to the protected forest, the three residents around the location," he said.
This examination is to trace whether there are parties who deliberately set fire, or there are elements of negligence, such as throwing cigarette butts anywhere.
Separately, the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Batu Aji Police, Iptu Bili Pramulia, added that his party was hampered in tracing the cause of the fire because there was little eyewitness information who saw before the incident, in addition to not being supported by the existence of hidden circuit cameras (CCTV) at the location.
So it demands that his party really conduct an intensive investigation to ensure the exact cause of the fire.
"Because there are few eye witnesses who saw it, there is no CCTV either," he said.
The fire in the protected forest area, according to him, if it is found that there is an element of intention, the perpetrator can be threatened with a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp. 7.5 billion.
In addition, the social effects caused by the protected forest area being close to residential areas, so that it can threaten the safety of the surrounding community.
One of the factors for the widespread land fires is that the weather in Batam City has entered the dry season. This year is the longest day without rain.
The BMKG Hang Nadim Batam Class I Meteorological Station recorded that during the period of January-February there were 35 days without rain. There was a light rain but it was local on Friday and Saturday.
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