Ngawi Regency Government Sets Karhutla Emergency Response Status On Mount Lawu

Fired forest and land fires on Mount Lawu. BETWEEN/Louis Rika

NGAWI - The Regency Government (Pemkab) of Ngawi, East Java, has set an Emergency Response Status for the forest and land fires disaster (karhutla) in Gunung Lawu for 14 days.

"The Regent of Ngawi has determined the Emergency Response Status for the Mount Lawu forest and land fires disaster, by issuing a letter, for 14 days starting from September 30 to October 13, 2023," said Head of BPBD Ngawi Regency Prila Yuda Putra, Monday, October 2.

According to him, the status determination was imposed following the unfinished forest and land fires in Mount Lawu. Even the fire was still visible until Monday (2/10/2023) afternoon. KarhutlaGunung Lawu has spread to surrounding areas such as Magetan and Karanganyar Regencies, Central Java.

Forest fires in Gunung Lawu first appeared in the Jogorogo District, Ngawi Regency, since the last few days. Although the forest on Mount Lawu has experienced several fires in the past month.

In addition to dry land, fires that are now happening again are also increasingly widespread due to strong wind conditions.

As for local BPBD data, hotspots emerged from the Manyul and Mixed Rejo Forest Transport Resort (RPH), Jogorogo District, the northern side of Mount Lawu area entered Ngawi Regency, and reportedly expanded.

Efforts to extinguish the deployment of hundreds of joint personnel from the East Java BPBD, East Java Provincial Disaster Agent, Ngawi Regency, Magetan Regency BPBD, TNI, Polri, Polhut, BKSDA, Ngawi Regency Fire Department, Ngawi KPH Perhutani, as well as volunteers, and the community.

The outage was carried out manually and made an alignment, namely a fire-blocking ditch around the location of the hotspot which was quite steep.

BPBD also deployed helicopters belonging to BNPB to carry out fire engines by air or water bombing on Monday (2/10).

The area of the burned land is estimated to have reached 200 hectares. The cause of the forest fire is also unknown.

Following up on the Emergency Response Status, he said, officers have established a review post in Ngrayudan Village, Jogorogo District, Ngawi. The Ngawi Regency Government also provides a public kitchen located in the Ngrayudan Village office environment.

The same thing was done by the Magetan Regency Government. The local BPBD also established a Volunteer Command Post and a public kitchen in Ngiliran Village, Panekan District, Magetan, to monitor the handling of the Gunung Lawu forest and land fires. The post is the closest location to the hotspots that can be accessed by officers and volunteers.

"Thank you to all the volunteers who have participated in overcoming the Mount Lawu forest fire. Keep maintaining security is the main thing," said Acting Magetan Regent Hergunadi.