BPBD Muara Enim Activates Forest and Land Fire Alert Post in Gelumbang

Muara Enim (ANTARA) - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra, has activated a forest and land fire (karhutla) readiness post in Gelumbang district to tackle fires as early as possible and prevent haze disasters.

Abdurrozieq Putra, Head of Operations at the Muara Enim BPBD, contacted from Palembang on Thursday, said that in facing the peak of this year’s long dry season, the agency has declared an emergency standby status for forest and land fires.

“The karhutla emergency standby status will be in force for 123 days, running from 1 May to 31 August 2026,” he said.

He said that as part of the status declaration, the agency activated a karhutla readiness post in Gelumbang district, which has been mapped as one of the areas prone to forest and land fires during the long dry season.

The post is staffed by personnel from the Muara Enim BPBD, assisted by community fire volunteers tasked with monitoring fire hotspots that could potentially trigger forest and land fires.

“Noting that from June 2026 to date, five karhutla cases have been recorded in Gelumbang district, with approximately 5.5 hectares of land burned,” he revealed.

In addition to the post, he continued, the agency has also prepared 12 two- and three-wheeled vehicles modified to spray water for extinguishing fires in areas difficult to reach by four-wheeled vehicles.

He explained that these fire-fighting scout motorcycles work by adding a device, namely a centrifugal pump, to the vehicle’s engine.

The centrifugal pump, powered by the motorcycle engine, can draw water from rivers or fire brigade supply trucks, which is then discharged or sprayed to extinguish fires.