BMKG Detects 113 Hotspots in Riau Province

Pekanbaru - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Pekanbaru Station has detected 113 hotspots in Riau Province, with the highest number in Bengkalis Regency at 36 points. BMKG Pekanbaru forecaster Mari Frystine stated that hotspots were also found in Dumai City (32), Rokan Hilir (20), Pelalawan (17), Siak (5), as well as one each in Indragiri Hilir, Kuantan Singingi, and Kampar. Meanwhile, 198 hotspots were detected across Sumatra Island, with Riau having the most. This was followed by Riau Islands (27), Aceh (20), South Sumatra (11), Jambi (8), Bangka Belitung Islands (10), North Sumatra (4), West Sumatra and Bengkulu (two each), and one in Lampung. At the same time, joint teams are still working hard to extinguish forest and land fires (karhutla) in several areas of Riau Province. Head of Emergency and Logistics Division of the Riau Provincial Disaster Mitigation Agency and Fire Department (BPBD Damkar), Jim Gafur, said there are two fire points in Bengkalis Regency. “The first is in Teluk Lecah Village, Rupat Subdistrict, Bengkalis. The condition still has fire points and extinguishing efforts are underway,” he said. Next, in Pelalawan Regency, there is still one fire point in Pangkalan Terap Village, Teluk Meranti Subdistrict. For Dumai City, there are two fire points, namely in Teluk Makmur Ward, Medang Kampai Subdistrict, and Mundam Ward, Medang Kampai Subdistrict. In Rokan Hilir Regency, there is one fire point in Rantau Bais Peasant Association, Tanah Putih Subdistrict. The current condition still has fire points and extinguishing as well as containment efforts are being carried out to prevent it from spreading.