Until The Night, The South Kalimantan Tapin BPBD Struggles To Put Out The Fire To Secure Settlements From Karhutla

Tapin Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) officers, South Kalimantan tried to extinguish the fire that hit the Chili Rawit Hiyung area in Hiyung Village, Tapin, Friday (15/9/2023) night. (ANTARA/M Fauzi Fadilah)

Tapin - Officers from the Tapin Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), South Kalimantan (Kalsel), and volunteers from the Fire Department (BPK) are trying to extinguish the fire to secure cayenne pepper plantations and residential areas in Hiyung Village from forest and land fires (Karhutla).

"We are still trying to extinguish the fire," said Head of Emergency and Logistics Division of BPBD Tapin, Sofyan, in Hiyung Village, Tapin, as reported by ANTARA, Friday, September 15.

Officers tried to secure chili land and settlements from the fire by extinguishing the fire in the bush area and using a motorbike while carrying a portable engine.

Meanwhile, some officers on guard on the side of the highway secured settlements using tank cars and portable.

According to ANTARA's observation at the scene, the fire still soared at several points until joint officers and residents were overwhelmed by the flames.

Officers also had difficulty reaching the hotspots that spread to other Hiyung chilies and were constrained by water sources and strong winds at the scene.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Junaidi Karya Baru Farmers Group as well as extension of the Tapin Regency Agriculture Service, Junaidi, said that around 12 thousand Hiyung cayenne pepper stems have been ready to harvest burned since Friday afternoon.

"Based on the farmer's report, what is certain is that three hectares have been burned," said Junaidi.

Junaidi revealed that the cayenne pepper land burned more than three hectares from noon to Friday night.

"We are still collecting data," said Junaidi.

Junaidi said the average production of Hiyung chili weighing 4-6 tons per hectare with the assumption that the price reached Rp. 45 thousand per kilogram, so that the loss reached hundreds of millions of rupiah.