Entering The Long Dry Season, Muara Enim South Sumatra Beware Of Forest Fires

Illustration of forest fires (ANTARA)

MUARA ENIM - Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra, is ready to face the long dry season in 2023 from the threat of forest and land fires (karhutla) in the region.

Head of Prevention and Preparedness of the Muara Enim Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Hasbi Rizal, in Muaraenim, Tuesday, said, based on a release issued by the BMKG that climate development for the South Sumatra region (Sumsel) shows the rainy season that has occurred since the end of 2022 is predicted to end in March 2023 and enter the transition phase in April.

Most areas of South Sumatra are predicted to enter the beginning of the dry season in May 2023, the second basis such as Palembang City, parts of Banyuasin, Musi Banyuasin, Ogan Ilir, Ogan Komiring Ilir (OKI), Ogan Komiring Ulu (OKU) Timur, Muara Enim, PALI, Prabumulih parts east, and Empat Lawang.

The western and eastern parts of South Sumatra are predicted to enter the start of the dry season in June Basarian I, such as parts of Muara Enim, Lahat, Musi Rawas, Muratara, Muba, coastal Banyuasin, East OKU, OKU, OKI, Pagaralam and South OKU.

"The impact of this long dry season has the potential to occur in forest and land fires, especially areas prone to smog disasters, including Muara Enim Regency," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, March 21.

In Muara Enim Regency itself, he said, there are 19 sub-districts mapped prone to forest and land fires during the long dry season, including Muara Belida, Gelumbang, Lawang Kidul, Tanjung Agung, Belida Darat, Kelekar, Lembak, Lubai, Lubai Ulu, and Rambang sub-districts.

Then, the Districts of Empat Petulai Dangku, Belimbing, Gunung Megang, Ujan Emas, Panang Enim, Semende Darat Ulu, Semende Darat Tengah, and Semende Darat Laut.

These areas are mapped prone to forest and land fires because there are still many peat and organic land, as well as close to mining sites that are flammable when a long dry season strikes.

Related to this, he said, people are advised to avoid activities that can trigger forest and land fires, such as clearing agricultural land by burning because they have the potential to cause a smog disaster.

As an effort to overcome it, his party reactivated the command posts in every sub-district in Muara Enim Regency which were filled by BPBD personnel assisted by the Fire Care Community to be prepared to monitor hotspots that could potentially cause forest and land fires.

"This disaster management post has been reactivated so that forest and land fires events can be handled as early as possible," he said.