Karhutla Baluran National Park Successfully Controlled

Officers from the Balaran Situbondo National Park, East Java, together with volunteers from the Fire Care Community extinguished the fire in Mount Baluran. Thursday night (28/9/2023). BETWEEN/HO-Humas Baluran National Park

SITUBONDO - An officer of the Baluran Situbondo National Park, East Java, assisted by volunteers from the local Fire Care Community finally managed to control the forest and land fires (karhutla) of Mount Baluran in the natural tourism area.

Head of the Balan National Park Situbondo Johan Setiawan said that on the fifth day, forest fires and mountain land in the wildlife asylum area could be controlled, both on the west, south and east sides of Mount Baluran.

"Alhamdulillah, until this evening the fire has been controlled. For the area of forest and land fires for five days, there are about 180 hectares that have been burned," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, April 29.

Although the hotspots on Mount Baluran can be controlled, Johan continued, national park officers together with volunteers from the Fire Care Community (MPA) will continue to monitor because they are worried that new hotspots will emerge on the slopes of the mountain in the natural tourist area.

In addition, he said, forest fires and land fires of Mount Baluran that have occurred since Monday (25/9) officers have also made fire strikes or clean lanes hampering the 9 kilometers (west and south sides of the mountain) around the location so that fires do not spread further.

"We continue to monitor it because the fire coal in the burning trees is still there, worrying about triggering a new fire when strong winds come," said Johan.

All national park employees have been deployed to deal with forest and land fires on the slopes of the mountain since Monday (25/9).

"Today, the Director General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) directly inspects forest and land fires on Mount Balan," said Johan.

Balan National Park officers are assisted by volunteers from the Fire Community and national park partners. They put out the fire using traditional fire extinguishers, namely the geopyok and jet shooter.

The Nature Tourism Object of the Baluran Situbondo National Park was temporarily closed on September 25-30, 2023 because the only road access was used by national park officers for operations and mobilization of officers to deal with forest and land fires in the tourist area.