South Kalimantan BPBD Responds To 10 Hectares Of Forest And Land Fires Near Syamsudin Noor Airport

Forest and land fires (Karhutla) hit the ring one area, namely the Syamsudin Noor Airport area in Liang Anggang District, Banjarbaru City, South Kalimantan (ANTARA/Tumpal Andani Aritonang)

BANJARBARU - The Rapid Response Team of the South Kalimantan Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD Kalsel) is tackling forest and land fires (karhutla) that hit the Syamsudin Noor Airport area with a land area of up to 10 hectares in Liang Anggang District, Banjarbaru City.

Information on forest and land fires was received through the South Kalimantan BPBD Rapid Response Team (TRC) on Monday, at around 14.30 WITA. And the new extinguishing effort was stopped at around 18.00 WITA.

"The team went to the field to extinguish the land fire in the priority area guarding around the airport," said field officer Muhammad Rijali in Banjarbaru.

Medan in the field is difficult to access, but it still ensures that the fire does not spread to residential areas.

He stated that although forest and land fires spread widely, the team in the field could still control them so as not to endanger local housing.

Meanwhile, on Sunday (18/6) forest and land fires also hit the area of Syamsudin Noor Airport with more than five hectares, namely on East Ulin Runway, Landasan Ulin District, Banjarbaru City.

Karhutla happened again today in the city of Banjarbaru which devoured 10 hectares of land with a radius of about one kilometer from residential areas.

Previously, the Daily Executive (Plh) of the Head of the South Kalimantan BPBD, Bambang Dedi Mulyadi, said that the handling of forest and land fires in South Kalimantan needed sophisticated equipment, namely water bombing helicopters.

"We use the helicopter to reach fire areas that are difficult for land transportation to pass," he said when confirmed in Banjarbaru, Sunday, June 18.

Bambang said that the South Kalimantan BPBD is currently waiting for the arrival of 10 helicopter assistance from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to deal with forest and land fires which are increasingly rife in South Kalimantan.