Beware of 'El Nino Godzilla': Forest and Land Fires Threaten East Bangka

Residents in Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Province, are being asked to increase their vigilance in facing an extreme dry season. The natural phenomenon dubbed ‘El Nino Godzilla’ is predicted to trigger an increased risk of forest and land fires (Karhutla) in the region.

This warning was delivered directly by the Acting Head of the Bangka Regency Satpol PP, Achmad Suherman, on Wednesday. Based on data from BMKG Pangkalpinang, the impact of El Nino this year is expected to be far more extreme than in previous years.

“Information from BMKG indicates that this year’s dry season will be more extreme. This condition certainly has great potential to trigger massive forest and land fires,” Suherman stated in Sungailiat.

Suherman mapped that the East Bangka crossing area is the red zone most frequently hit by land fires. The characteristics of the area, which is dominated by dry land and scrubland, make it highly vulnerable to fire when air temperatures soar.

“In Bangka Regency, this East Bangka area is where forest and land fires occur most frequently. There is a lot of dry land there that is very easily ignited during an extreme drought,” he continued.

To anticipate the escalation of hotspots, the Bangka Regency Satpol PP has stationed Fire Brigade (Damkar) teams at various strategic points. The public is requested to be proactive in reporting any sightings of fire, no matter how small, to prevent them from expanding into large-scale conflagrations.

“We hope the community reports immediately if they see any hotspots. The Fire Brigade teams are on standby to take swift action in the field,” Suherman concluded.

The ‘El Nino Godzilla’ phenomenon is a serious concern for the local government, given that its impact not only damages ecosystems but also has the potential to disrupt visibility on the main East Bangka transport routes due to resulting haze.