BNPB: Cause of forest and land fires in North Padang Lawas under investigation

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has stated that the cause of the forest and land fire (karhutla) in North Padang Lawas Regency, North Sumatra, is still under investigation by the authorities. Head of the BNPB Data, Information and Disaster Communication Centre, Abdul Muhari, said in Jakarta on Thursday that the fire incident affected a vegetation area in Gunung Manaon Village, Portibi District, and was reported to have started on Wednesday afternoon around 1.30 p.m. local time. “The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the authorities. The incident scorched approximately five hectares of land,” he said. As an emergency response measure on the ground, the North Padang Lawas Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) immediately deployed personnel to the hotspot. Officers from the local BPBD rapid reaction team, together with a joint cross-agency team and assisted by local residents, worked together to localise and intensively extinguish the fire at the location, which is adjacent to oil palm plantation land.