BMKG Warns of Potential Forest and Land Fires Due to Numerous Hotspots in East Kalimantan

Balikpapan (ANTARA) - The Meteorology, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Balikpapan Station has warned all parties of the potential for forest and land fires (karhutla) due to the numerous hotspots in East Kalimantan Province in recent days.

“The weather in recent days since last week’s Eid al-Fitr has indeed been hot. This condition has triggered the emergence of many hotspots,” said Carolina Meylita Sibarani, Head of the Data and Information Team at the Class I Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Balikpapan BMKG Station, in Balikpapan on Saturday.

For example, on Friday (27/3), from 01:00 to 24:00 WITA, the number of hotspots spread across six regencies and cities in East Kalimantan reached 171 points.

The distribution was: two points in Balikpapan City, three in Bontang City, 10 in Paser Regency, the highest at 125 in East Kutai Regency, 20 in Kutai Kartanegara Regency, and 11 in Berau Regency.

Meanwhile, relevant government entities such as the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) are urged to check the hotspots already detected by BMKG.

“Teams from BPBD along with related parties, when arriving at the location, can usually confirm whether these hotspots are prone to causing karhutla or not. If prone, they immediately take action,” she said.

Other local government entities such as the Agriculture Office, Plantation Office, and Fire Department are expected to provide warnings to farmers and plantation owners to take anticipatory preventive measures against karhutla.