Bangka Regency Forms Forest and Land Fire Task Force

To prevent and address forest and land fires (karhutla), the Bangka Regency Government in the Bangka Belitung Islands has formed a Forest and Land Fire Task Force. The aim is to enhance preparedness and anticipate forest and land fire threats through integrated and sustainable methods.

Acting Head of the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) for Bangka Regency, Ahmad Suherman, stated that the Karhutla Task Force was formed in response to the high threat of forest fires in several areas of Bangka Regency.

“This task force will monitor and detect karhutla early, using human resources in their respective areas,” said Suherman on Tuesday (1/4).

According to him, the task force will identify fire-prone areas each year for stricter supervision and increase routine patrols.

“This task force is a collaboration involving TNI, Polri, BUMN, BUMD, sub-district offices, urban villages, village governments, fire department personnel, Satpol PP as embedded members, and the community,” he said.

Based on community complaint reports received by the fire department section, he noted that during the dry season, forest fires average 2 hectares per day.

“The volume of forest burned during the dry season is quite extensive when accumulated monthly. Forest fire cases are suspected to involve intentional elements for plantation expansion and unintentional ones due to carelessly discarding cigarette butts,” he explained.

He acknowledged that forming the Karhutla Task Force will assist the fire department in prevention and handling of fires, as the team not only extinguishes forest fires but also helps with residential fires.

“The fire department team also assists in evacuating wild animals that enter residents’ homes and other social actions needed by the community,” he said. (RF/E-4)

Karhutla occurs due to certain community members carelessly throwing cigarette butts onto dry, easily ignitable land or burning land to clear it.