BNPB Ensures Maximum Response to Forest and Land Fires Recurring in Sukoharjo

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has ensured a maximum emergency response to the forest and land fires (karhutla) that have once again struck several locations in Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java. Abdul Muhari, Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Centre, stated in Jakarta on Thursday that intensive firefighting and containment efforts were carried out by a joint team in the field to prevent the fires from spreading further. The subsequent karhutla incident was confirmed by the BNPB Operations Control Centre to have occurred again in the Sukoharjo area on Wednesday (8/7) at around 14.15 Western Indonesia Time. The forest and land fires affected three villages, namely Pundungrejo and Watubonang in Tawangsari District, and Puron in Bulu District. This event marks the second time karhutla has hit Sukoharjo in quick succession, after a fire earlier in the week scorched six hectares of land in Weru (Polokarto), Plesan (Nguter), and Cemetuk (Tawangsari). He explained that during the emergency response, the joint team was commanded by the Sukoharjo Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) together with residents, who optimised firefighting methods using branch-beating techniques and the creation of firebreaks, known locally as ilaran. Thanks to the rapid response and tactical handling by the joint team, the BNPB confirmed that the flames in the three affected villages were successfully brought under control and completely extinguished on the same day.