Forest Fires Due To Incandescent Lava Eruption Of Mount Ile Lewotolok NTT, Fire Difficult To Extinguish

Forest and land fires around the slopes due to incandescent lava from the eruption of Mount Ile Lewotolok/PHOTO VIA BNPB

JAKARTA - There were forest and land fires around the slopes due to incandescent lava from the eruption of Mount Ile Lewotolok. The fire was located in Ile Ape and East Ile Ape Districts, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The Lembata Regency Government reported that the fire broke out today. Plt. Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Abdul Muhari said the Lembata Regency Government had been trying to extinguish the fire early on. Unfortunately, the fire was difficult to extinguish.

"Now the fire has not been fully controlled until now. The fire is difficult to extinguish because the officers assisted by the local community only use manual equipment," said Abdul Muhari in his statement, Thursday, July 29.

Based on reports received by BNPB, officers have limited supporting equipment and physical constraints in the field.

Including, the hotspots are still in a disaster-prone area, which is at a radius of 3 kilometers from the top of the mountain.

Currently, the Lembata Regency Government has asked for support from the NTT Provincial BPBD to carry out air suppression by helicopter.

The district government hopes that BPBD can carry out water-bombing. Extinguishing can be carried out effectively without risk of loss of life considering the location is in a dangerous radius of volcanic eruption.

"In response to the situation, the Head of BNPB has ordered his staff to deploy a water-bombing helicopter to help extinguish the fire and prevent potential similar incidents considering the condition of Mount Ile Lewotolok is still active," said Abdul Muhari.