BNPB: Firefighting Efforts for Sorong Land Fires Still Underway

Jakarta (ANTARA) — The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has stated that the process of extinguishing the forest and land fires (karhutla) affecting the hilly area of Sorong City, Southwest Papua, is still ongoing.

Abdul Muhari, Head of BNPB’s Disaster Data, Information and Communication Centre, said in Jakarta on Friday that joint teams are continuing efforts to control the flames burning at the latest location.

“The joint teams in the field are continuing to work hard to carry out extinguishing procedures at the fire point affecting the hilly area,” he said.

Abdul explained that the ongoing extinguishing operation is taking place in the Mount Woroth area, Kakublik Urban Village, Sorong Kota District, which has been burning since Thursday (23 January) in the afternoon.

Previously, land and forest fires had also affected another point in the Mount Kali Ampat area on Tuesday (21 January) at around 12.30 pm Eastern Indonesia Time.

BNPB’s Operations Control Directorate reported that the fire at Mount Kali Ampat had spread to Klagate and Malamso Urban Villages in Malaimsimsa District, as well as Malanu Urban Village in North Sorong District, triggered by hot weather and strong winds.

Although the flames at Mount Kali Ampat grew larger on Tuesday night, the joint teams responded swiftly and succeeded in extinguishing all fire points on the same day.

Abdul said BNPB is continuing to coordinate with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and local authorities to ensure water supplies and the mapping of extinguishing routes at Mount Woroth run optimally until the location is declared safe.