South Kalimantan HSS BPBD Handles 141 Hectares Of Land Affected By Forest And Land Fires

DOC/BPBD Hulu Sungai Selatan (HSS) is trying to extinguish a land fire that is approaching Daha Sejahtera Hospital in Pihanin Raya Village, South Daha, South Kalimantan, Monday (4/9/2023). (ANTARA/HO-BPBD HSS)

The Head of the South Hulu Sungai (HSS) Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) South Kalimantan Kusairi stated that he had handled 141 hectares of areas affected by forest and land fires (Karhutla) spread over 10 sub-districts.

"From the 141 hectares of burned land, we can handle it from the KarhutlaHSS Task Force Team, while those that cannot be handled because the remote locations cannot be calculated," said Kusairi, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 10. To overcome the forest and land fires issue, Kusairi also hopes that the police will continue to take action against people who burn the land intentionally.

Then, Kusairi appealed to the public not to burn land and forests, because it has the potential to cause forest and land fires to disrupt community activities and health.

Kusairi revealed that forest and land fires occurred day and night with more than one hotspot with a difficult distance, thus making the forest and land fire task force together with firefighters have to work hard, struggling to extinguish the burning land fire.

"At night our firefighters must work hard to extinguish the fire of forest and land fires, help us not to burn the land and let us pray together to Allah SWT so that the dry season passes soon and there is rain," he said.

Meanwhile, Head of the South Hulu Sungai District Health Office (Dinkes HSS) South Kalimantan Rasyidah said that the smog caused by forest and land fires had an impact on increasing the number of cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI).

He said, during the forest and land fires that occurred from July to September 2023, thousands of cases of ARI in HSS Regency.

"Based on our data from the ISPA case sent by the puskesmas and hospitals during July, August, September 2023, the ISPA cases have reached 5,045 cases," said Rasyidah.

Rasyidah said the number of ISPA cases in January-September 2023 reached 14,261 cases, but cases increased during forest and land fires during the dry season.

The effects of smog for health have increased the risk of ARI disease and pneumonia, as well as stimulated other diseases. The disease is no less dangerous than ARI and pneumonia, namely irritation of the eyes, life, and throat, and causes allergic reactions, inflammation.

"Smogbut can also worsen people with a history of asthma and chronic pulmonary diseases such as chronic bronchitis, obstructive chronic pulmonary disease (PPOK), and for children it is very susceptible to this smog," he said.