BNPB: 48-Hectare Hill Fire in Buleleng, Bali, Fully Extinguished

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has stated that the forest and land fire (karhutla) in Buleleng Regency, Bali, has been fully extinguished, although it scorched approximately 48 hectares of local hillside vegetation.

The karhutla incident in Buleleng, Bali was recorded as the largest land fire reported by a region to BNPB in at least the past two days.

“Conditions at the site are now reported to be safe and under control after the joint team succeeded in subduing the fire,” said Abdul Muhari, Head of BNPB’s Disaster Data, Information and Communication Centre, in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Abdul explained that the flames began consuming dry grassland vegetation in the hills of Pemuteran Village, Gerokgak Subdistrict, on Friday (17 July).

BNPB’s Directorate of Operational Control confirmed that the fire point in the hillside area was at one stage clearly visible from the Villa Bukit Kursi tourist area.

In response to the incident, he said, the Buleleng Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) immediately deployed a joint team to extinguish the flames and prevent them from spreading further towards nearby residential areas.

Firefighting efforts in the field were carried out in an integrated manner, involving local BPBD personnel, elements of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), the Fire Service, Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), and local community members.

“We urge the public and stakeholders to remain vigilant against the potential emergence of new fire hotspots, particularly in dry vegetation during the ongoing dry season,” he said.